It turned out that the last months of one of our most successful Hungarian Olympians were not so mysterious - there were people who knew exactly where he was, but they didn't tell anyone about it.
In addition to the two most successful Hungarian athletes of the Paris Olympics, Kristóf Milák and Tamara Csipes, fellow medalists Gergely Siklósi and Dóra Gazsó also gained fame as athletes of the Budapest Honvéd. Club president István Gergely spoke about the role of the national defenders. Among other things, he also talked about the fact that Kristóf Milák fulfilled the agreement made with him.
The Honvéd athletes won two gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the Paris Olympics, making the Kispest club the most successful in our country. Kristóf Milák took the lead in the quality of the medals, who won in the 100-meter butterfly and came second in the 200.
Milák, speaking in public for the first time after a long time upon his arrival home, thanked those who trusted him unconditionally, and could not speak to István Gergely, who had previously defended the much-criticized swimmer as the president of the Honvéd.
- We have an agreement with Kristóf, and as long as he abides by it, we will stand by him in every forum - István Gergely told our newspaper about this. – This is not Kristóf Milák's privilege, it is the same with all our athletes, only in the last year it has become more spectacular because a serious theater has developed around him. Many did not understand what was going on, or even if they did, they did not handle it in the best way.
There were many questions and no answers, which is why there were even wild rumors about where, with whom and how Milák was made.
- We always knew what was needed, we were in contact with him - clarified Gergely. - You had to indicate exactly where you are by the day and hour, due to possible doping controls. So it was possible to know where Kristóf went and trained so much that he won another gold and silver medal at the Olympics. We agreed that he would deliver a performance worthy of his previous results in Paris, and he did so without question.
What will the future bring? According to his fitness coach, György Zala, Milák will continue, and the Honvéd plans to continue with the 24-year-old classic.
- We will sit down with him, we will examine what has happened so far and a new vision for the future must be drawn up - said Gergely.
– We have touched on this topic with him before, we know what and how he wants to achieve it, in which we would continue to support him. It is certain that a big burden was lifted from her shoulders at the Olympics, she achieved what she had planned, and since then she has opened up, is smiling again, and has become much more communicative. I think we will see a new Kristóf Milák from now on.
Regarding the number of medals, another national guard, the kayaker Tamara Csipes, was the most successful Hungarian at the Olympics with two silver and one bronze medals.
The soon-to-be 35-year-old two-time Olympic champion said goodbye to elite sports, and in his case, according to Gergely, it is important that he was able to do so by giving his all, and that he was not left with a sense of loss because the gold did not come in Paris.
"He already had a beautiful career, but in Paris, in addition to his physical preparation, he also showed such mental strength that he was an absolute leader and set an example for the younger ones," said Gergely. – It was good to see that he was happy with his silver medals, the glass was half full, which is important for the future.
The Honvéd's 24-year-old kayaker Dóra Gazsó took second and third place alongside Csipes in pairs and as a member of the boat of four.
– Tami embraced Dorka, who is a great talent and we count on her in the future. And Dorka accepted Tami as her mentor, and of course the work of Ferenc Csipes was also very necessary, because if he is not the coach, it is not certain that there will be such a result or such a strong cohesion will develop between the girls - István Gergely praised Ferenc Csipes, who was abused before the Olympics was accused by the legend of the sport, Danuta Kozák.
In addition to Milák, the fencer Gergely Siklósi became the Olympic champion in Paris among the athletes of the Honvéd with the dueling team.
"He showed that he is not only an exceptional individual, but also able to take responsibility for his teammates," said the club president. - For him, success in the team was almost more important than individually, and he supported this with his actions by taking home the golden trophy. But let's not forget our athletes who set personal bests, the wrestler Zoltán Lévai and the judoist Sófi Özbas, who now know what an Olympics is like and have everything in them to use this experience to make tomorrow better than it was yesterday.
As club leader, István Gergely does not only think about medals, he considers it important that the Armed Forces sent 14 athletes to the Olympics in six different sports. Compared to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, they produced the same number of medals, and they also became the best points-scoring Hungarian club.
- This requires the facility, health and professional background, which helps our athletes to succeed - Gergely revealed. – It doesn't just depend on the money, they might give two forints more elsewhere, but in addition to ensuring the appropriate respect, our athletes see the money as a return rather than a goal. Those who are successful can create a suitable existence for themselves with persistent work.
Cover image: Two-time Olympic champion swimmer Kristóf Milák (k) brings the Hungarian flag, next to him is two-time Olympic champion kayaker Tamara Csipes (b) at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris at the Stade de France on August 11, 2024. The two competitors won a total of five medals in the French capital, so they are considered the most successful athletes of the Hungarian delegation.
MTI/Zsolt Czeglédi
