Ranked fourth in the world, Battai entered the competition directly in the main draw on Sunday as a seeded athlete. She comfortably defeated Anastassiya Gulik of Kazakhstan and Mariella Viale of Italy, before overcoming Maya Chamberlain of the United States and Alina Mikhaylova, competing under a neutral status, in much closer bouts.

In the semifinal, Battai faced Germany’s Larissa Eifler, against whom she had struggled in previous meetings. The match started poorly for the Hungarian fencer, who appeared hesitant in her attacks and struggled to find the right rhythm and distance. Although she scored the opening point, she quickly fell behind 8–1.

After the one-minute break, the 23-year-old from Debrecen completely changed her approach. She became more decisive and attacked far more aggressively, narrowing the gap to 11–10 and later 12–11. However, Eifler regained control in the closing stages and scored the final four touches to secure a 15–11 victory.

Battai, already a two-time team world champion and one-time team world bronze medallist, claimed her first individual World Championship medal. She also won an individual bronze medal at last year’s European Championships.

Her bronze is Hungary’s second medal at the World Championships in Hong Kong, following DĂĄniel DĂłsa’s bronze in the men’s foil event on Saturday.

Before Battai’s achievement, the last Hungarian woman to win a bronze medal in the individual sabre event at the World Championships was Anna MĂĄrton in 2015.

Battai’s results

Round of 64

• SugĂĄr Battai (Hungary) def. Anastassiya Gulik (Kazakhstan) 15–7

Round of 32

• SugĂĄr Battai (Hungary) def. Mariella Viale (Italy) 15–7

Round of 16

• SugĂĄr Battai (Hungary) def. Maya Chamberlain (USA) 15–13

Quarterfinal

• SugĂĄr Battai (Hungary) def. Alina Mikhaylova (Neutral Athlete) 15–11

Semifinal

• Larissa Eifler (Germany) def. SugĂĄr Battai (Hungary) 15–11

Final

• Larissa Eifler (Germany) def. Sara Balzer (France) 15–10

Source: MTI

The international event brought together competitors from 24 European countries. A total of 591 athletes, 115 accompanying persons, and 20 staff members took part, while nearly 1,000 people participated in the week-long programme, including sporting, professional and community events. Athletes competed in 15 different sports.

Representing HajdĂș-Bihar County were ZoltĂĄn KĂłka and GergƑ Mezei, both kidney transplant recipients and members of the Hungarian national team. They competed in multiple disciplines and achieved remarkable success.

Three gold medals for ZoltĂĄn KĂłka

ZoltĂĄn KĂłka competed in table tennis and badminton. He won the gold medal in the men’s singles table tennis event, followed by another gold in the men’s doubles, partnering MiklĂłs AndrĂĄsi, a liver transplant recipient. In men’s doubles badminton, KĂłka and fellow kidney transplant recipient Attila OrbĂĄn also claimed the gold medal.

KĂłka had also been due to compete in the mixed doubles table tennis event, but the competition was cancelled because of the extreme heat. Despite missing the opportunity to compete for another title, his three gold medals still represented an exceptional achievement.

Kóka underwent a kidney transplant in 2007. Sport became an essential part of rebuilding his life, with table tennis and badminton providing not only physical activity but also routine, community and motivation. Both sports demand quick reactions, precision, concentration and discipline, and Kóka demonstrated that competitive success is entirely possible after organ transplantation. He was coached by Imre Milos and Ákos Kiråly.

GergƑ Mezei also shines

GergƑ Mezei represented Hungary in athletics and cycling. He won the gold medal in the 5 km mini-marathon, while Hungary also took gold in the team mini-marathon, alongside Dr DezsƑ Simon and Csaba Zilaj. In cycling, Mezei added another gold in the 30 km road race and claimed silver in the individual time trial.

Several of Mezei’s athletics events were cancelled due to the extreme heat, preventing him from competing in every discipline he had prepared for. However, the mini-marathon was held, and he finished with gold medals in both the individual and team competitions.

Mezei has faced serious health challenges since birth. Because of kidney disease, he underwent several operations as an infant and spent long periods in hospital. He received his first kidney transplant in 2005, but years later the transplanted organ failed, forcing him to return to dialysis for three years. In 2017, his sister KlĂĄra donated a kidney, giving him a second chance at life.

Following his second transplant, Mezei gradually returned to sport, rebuilding his fitness step by step through running and cycling. For him, sport is far more than competition—it represents freedom, stability and a way of life. His personal motto reflects this philosophy: “Always run only as much as will make you want to run again tomorrow.”

More than medals

The achievements of the two athletes from HajdĂș-Bihar County are significant not only because of the medals they won. Their performances show that life after transplantation can include new beginnings, new goals and a successful return to competitive sport, even when circumstances—such as extreme heat forcing the cancellation of events—prevent athletes from competing in every event they had planned.

The Hungarian national team finished the European Championships in Arnhem with 95 medals and fourth place in the overall nations’ standings. The outstanding performances of ZoltĂĄn KĂłka and GergƑ Mezei played an important role in that success.

According to information published on Friday by the Hungarian Football Federation (MLSZ), the session will begin at 5:00 p.m., one day before Tuesday’s friendly match against Kazakhstan. Fans will be allowed to enter the stadium from 4:00 p.m. Organizers will initially open the A stand and, if necessary, the B stand as well.

At the end of the training session, supporters will have a limited opportunity to collect autographs and take photos with members of the national team squad.

Tickets for the public training session are not assigned to specific seats and cost a symbolic 125 forints, marking the 125th anniversary of the Hungarian Football Federation this year.

According to the organizers, this year’s event is expected to attract more participants than ever before. The race distance will be 209 kilometers, with a record 433 individual runners at the старт, alongside tens of thousands of team members, supporters, and fans. The total number of registered participants will reach 35,100.

The scale of the event is reflected in its organization: more than 1,000 staff members will ensure smooth operations, 58 refreshment and relay stations will support runners, and the route will pass through more than 50 settlements around Lake Balaton. Over the long weekend, an estimated 45,360 liters of water and nearly 8 tons of bananas will be consumed.

In addition to the traditional individual and team races, special attention will again be given to an extreme challenge: as part of the #Projekt418 initiative, five ultrarunners—Linda Boros, JĂĄnos BogĂĄr, IstvĂĄn CsingĂĄr, ÁdĂĄm KertĂ©sz, and RĂłbert Varga—will attempt to complete a double lap, running more than 400 kilometers without stopping.

“The 20th NN Ultrabalaton is special for us—not only because of its size, but also because of what it represents: a community that proves year after year that sport brings people together, motivates, and pushes boundaries,” said Róbert Kulcsár, the event’s director.

The anniversary is also shared with BioTechUSA, one of Europe’s ĐșŃ€ŃƒĐżĐœĐ”Đčшох dietary supplement manufacturers, which has been the event’s refreshment partner for 10 years. To mark the occasion, the company is increasing its contribution to the traditional on-site charity fundraising campaign by 18 million forints. So far, 100,000 charity runners have joined the initiative, helping the BioTechUSA NN Ultrabalaton Charity program support the treatment of 12 sick children with 25 million forints and contribute 69 million forints to the development of 15 hospitals and civil organizations.

As in previous years, runners can donate by giving up the deposit fee for their timing chips, and their contributions will be rewarded with a total of 18,000 specially designed shakers provided by BioTechUSA.

(MTI)

At the press conference in Debrecen on Monday prior to the start of the world’s second oldest boxing tournament, the deputy mayor of the county seat, Lajos Barcsa, who plays the role of host, highlighted that about a hundred Hungarian boxers will enter the ring during the five-day competition.

AndrĂĄs Becsky, head of the Debrecen Sports Center, emphasized that the city is an excellent host for all world competitions, including Bocskai, for which tickets can be purchased for 1,200 forints from Tuesday to Friday, while tickets for the closing day on Saturday cost 1,900 forints.

The president of the Hungarian federation, István Kovács, was also present at the event, and said that based on the entries, there will be a larger field than last year and, among others, members of the Italian, French and German national teams will also take to the ropes. All this guarantees that visitors will be able to see “fantastic matches”.

The sports director, who is an Olympic and professional as well as amateur world champion as a competitor, also revealed that Bocskai is an important stage in the preparation for the main competitions of the year, and as such, there are no special goals for the Hungarian team, but he is very confident that this year’s competition will not end without a domestic gold medal. The president would like the best Hungarian boxers, Olympic fifth-place finisher Luca HĂĄmori, who recently returned from the United States, bronze medalist Akilov Pylyp at last year’s World Championships, or IstvĂĄn Szaka and KruzitĂł KovĂĄcs, to perform well, but he also added jokingly that he hopes they don’t get injured, because they will be able to fight their first professional match next Wednesday, at the Papp100 gala.

However, the return of RichĂĄrd KovĂĄcs, who was fifth at the Paris Games like HĂĄmori, will not be possible. The classic from NyĂ­regyhĂĄza, who won the European Championship and the European Games bronze medal, has decided to end his career after a long-term shoulder injury.

The organizers of the 70th Bocskai Memorial Tournament have also embraced a charitable initiative: a pair of boxing gloves donated and signed by IstvĂĄn KovĂĄcs will be auctioned off through the Charitable Association for the treatment of a little girl suffering from brain tumor.
At the press event on Monday, it was announced that a strategic agreement had been reached between the MÖSZ and the University of Debrecen, through which the university will equip talented boxers with knowledge ranging from nutrition to psychology.

The finals of the tournament on Saturday will be broadcast live on M4 Sport+.

The Hungarian national team will host Slovenia next Saturday and Greece three days later at the Puskås Aréna.

Hungary National Football Team Squad:

Goalkeepers:
Péter Szappanos (Puskås Akadémia FC), Balåzs Tóth (Blackburn Rovers), Áron Yaakobishvili (FC Andorra)

Defenders:
Botond Balogh (Kocaelispor), BendegĂșz Bolla (Rapid Wien), MĂĄrk Csinger (ETO FC), MĂĄrton DĂĄrdai (Hertha BSC), Milos Kerkez (Liverpool FC), Loic Nego (Le Havre AC), Willi OrbĂĄn (RB Leipzig), Attila OsvĂĄth (FerencvĂĄrosi TC), KornĂ©l SzƱcs (Vojvodina)

Midfielders:
PĂ©ter BarĂĄth (Sigma Olomouc), AndrĂĄs SchĂ€fer (Union Berlin), Callum Styles (West Bromwich Albion), Dominik Szoboszlai (FC Liverpool), TamĂĄs SzƱcs (Debreceni VSC), Alex TĂłth (Bournemouth), MilĂĄn VitĂĄlis (ETO FC GyƑr)

Forwards:
Donåt Båråny (Debreceni VSC), Dåniel Lukåcs (Puskås Akadémia FC), Damir Redzic (Red Bull Salzburg), Roland Sallai (Galatasaray), Szabolcs Schön (ETO FC), Barnabås Varga (AEK Athens)

Photo: DVSC

LukĂĄcs Laci, known from the Budapest-Bamako rally, announced he would join the first Debrecen Marathon at the starting line. Not only him, but Dombi Tibor, a legend of the local football club Loki, will also be running. The race was originally planned as a single-loop route, but due to excessive restrictions, the event was at risk. The newly established organizing committee recently modified the course. Participants can attempt a quarter marathon, half marathon, or full marathon, running through the most frequented parts of the city. The races can be completed individually, in pairs, or in teams of four. Additionally, there will be a 5-kilometer and a 1.7-kilometer distance, offering a wide range of options. Shorter distances are mainly around NagyerdƑ, while longer routes go through the city center and return via Egyetem Boulevard, highlighted DĂ©kĂĄn TamĂĄs, managing director of the Hungarian Sports and Lifestyle Development Cluster.

At the University of Debrecen, sports and health development is a strategic priority. In this spirit, the idea of the Debrecen Marathon was conceived by the institution’s experts. Chancellor Zoltán Bács recalled that the European University Games, held in Miskolc and Debrecen two years ago, were successfully organized by the university, providing a solid foundation for the marathon. He added that despite the newly formed organizing committee only being in place for 10 days, the event on March 29 will be successful. As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 1,200 registrations had been received, and the hope is that over 2,000 runners will take part.

The program also features accompanying events highlighting environmental awareness. The Debrecen Marathon aims to offer an unforgettable experience for runners while establishing best practices for sustainable urban event management in Hungary. “It’s not just important to work in a city, but also to love living here. This means having community programs where citizens can gather and enjoy each other’s company, and a running race is one such event,” explained Deputy Mayor Lajos Barcsa.

Registration is available online at , where all essential information for participants can also be found.

(debrecen.hu)

Her former coach, József Spåk, remembered Gréta Soltész with moving words:

“During her first year at university, it was discovered that she was ill. She fought for six and a half years. What happened during those six and a half years? She received around 120 (!) chemotherapy treatments, underwent several surgeries, and yet she earned her degree with honors and received the dean’s commendation. She passed two language exams, took part in professional competitions, completed a cultural event organizer course, a calligraphy course, and later even an eyelash extension training, because she always cared deeply about her appearance. She was already seriously ill when she successfully participated in the Hungarian Olympic Committee’s Young Sports Organizers Program. All this while continuously working as an indispensable event organizer.”

According to the official website of the international federation’s silver-category event, the Debrecen athlete cleared her opening height of 4.17 m on her second attempt, passed 4.27 m on the first try, and cleared 4.37 m on her second attempt.

That height was enough to secure victory, after which she skipped 4.47 m and went on to successfully clear 4.52 m on her first attempt. Klekner then attempted to break her own national record of 4.60 m, but this time the record remained intact.

Two other Hungarian athletes also competed in Stockholm. Janka MolnĂĄr won her heat in the 400 metres with a time of 54.38 seconds and finished third overall, while DiĂĄna Lesti ended the long jump competition without a valid attempt.

The high profile of the event was underlined by the presence of Jamaican sprint star Kishane Thompson, the Olympic and world championship silver medallist in the 100 metres. Thompson, however, did not win the 60 metres, finishing third in the final with a time of 6.56 seconds, behind Britons Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu. Glave claimed victory in 6.51 seconds, edging his compatriot by three hundredths of a second.

The marathon is unique because Debrecen has never hosted a single-lap asphalt marathon specifically aimed at recreational runners, while still welcoming competitive athletes. It is expected to become a large-scale, community-driven sports experience.

The route showcases Debrecen’s historical buildings, iconic squares, and the university’s campuses, offering participants a “running city tour.” The event also promotes environmental responsibility: single-use plastic cups, unnecessary flyers, and mandatory event T-shirts are eliminated. Participants can optionally choose premium race shirts made from recycled materials.

The marathon is organized by the University of Debrecen in collaboration with the city and the Sports Centre, supported by the Ministry of Energy and several major international companies, including BMW Group Factory Debrecen. The DE Sportdiagnostic, Lifestyle and Therapy Center (SET Center) serves as the health partner.

Zoltán Bács, Chancellor of the University of Debrecen, highlighted that while competitive, recreational, and staff sports are well-established at the university, this type of event was previously missing. “The Debrecen Marathon, which spans from a sports facility to a factory across the city and university landmarks, is a special first initiative. We hope it becomes a tradition and draws thousands of participants from the university, the city, and beyond,” he said.

Mayor László Papp noted that the city is taking sports to a new level with the Debrecen Marathon, putting Debrecen on the map of major European city marathons. The route passes through some of the city’s most beautiful locations, showcasing why Debrecen is one of Europe’s greenest major cities.

Route and Logistics:
The race starts on the Hall side of the Nagyerdei Stadium, passing university campuses, the Great Reformed Church, and the BMW factory, returning to the start. Safety preparations included a recent route inspection with multiple authorities. Relay and refreshment points are easily accessible, but drivers should expect road closures and traffic restrictions on 29 March.

Registration and Distances:
By mid-January, registrations surpassed 1,000, a remarkable result for a debut event. Popular distances include the marathon and half marathon, with nearly 200 and 300 individual registrants respectively. The list of participants, including well-known national marathoners and ultra-runners such as GĂĄbor SzabĂł and Anita MĂ©nes, as well as Debrecen football icon and DVSC assistant coach Tibi Dombi, is continuously updated on the official website ().

Distances offered:

• Charity & Kids Run – 1.7 km

• Short Distance – 5 km (individual)

• Quarter Marathon – 10 km (individual)

• Half Marathon – 21.1 km (individual or duo)

• Marathon – 42.2 km (individual, duo, or four-person relay)

Young and old, including entire families, can participate together in the charity and kids’ runs. The beneficiary of the charity run will be announced soon. Further details are available on the marathon’s official and .

(unideb.hu)