Our students are among the university athletes of the year
The traditional award ceremony of the Hungarian University Sports Federation (MEFS) was held this year at the Uránia Film Theatre. With the University Athlete of the Year Award, the association recognises top athletes in higher education who have achieved medal positions in international university competitions in the given year or who have won gold medals as students at the World Adult Championships this year. For the first time, the gala also honoured athletes who achieved first place at the World Adult Para-Sport Championships.
This year, eight ELTE students received the award. At the European University Games (Łódź, Poland), Emanuel László Szmolek (PPK), Dorina Klára Szabó (a former student of TÓK), Martin Bálint (PPK), Zalán Nagy (GTK), Patrik Grünczeisz (PPK) stood on the podium in kick-boxing, while at the World Fencing Championships in Cairo, Liza Pusztai (PPK) won the gold medal as a member of the women's fencing team. Emese Kőhalmi (PPK) won gold in the women's kayak individual 5000m at the ICF World Adult Speed and Para-Aquatic Championships (Halfax), while Bianka Pap (ÁJK) took first place in the 400m freestyle and 100m backstrokes at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira. The full list of winners can be found in this document.
The gala was attended by Balázs Hankó, Minister of State for Higher Education; László Szabó, President of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee; János Mészáros, President of the National Competitive Sports Association; László Fábián, Secretary General of the Hungarian Olympic Committee; Gábor Szarka, Chancellor of the University of Theatre and Film Arts; and Marcell Eszterhai, President-elect of the Hungarian National Olympic Committee.
"It is a great pleasure to see so many exceptionally talented athletes participating in higher education," said Ádám Schmidt, Minister of State for Sport, while Lajos Mocsai, President of MEFS, pointed out that Hungary will soon host the largest-ever delegation of Hungarian athletes to the United States for the World Winter University Games, and Hungary will host the European University Games in 2024.
Source: MEFS