The overall tally now stands at three gold, two silver and three bronze.Continue reading
On Sunday evening, the flame went out in Paris at the end of the 17th edition of the Paralympic Games, the largest sporting event for disabled, visually impaired and slightly mentally handicapped athletes. Kayaker Péter Pál Kiss and swimmer Zsófia Konkoly carried the Hungarian flag at the closing ceremony.
The event, which began last Wednesday, saw 168 delegations, including the refugee team, compete in 22 sports with a record number of around 4,400 participants – including 88 Russians and 8 Belarusians as neutrals. Hungary was represented by 39 athletes competing in 13 sports and 68 disciplines. The Hungarian team’s performance was similar to that of three years ago in Tokyo, when they achieved 16 podium places, including 7 first places.
In Paris, the Hungarian team finished 26th in the medal table with 5 gold, 6 silver and 4 bronze medals.
“In Tokyo I said that this is the golden team of Hungarian para-sport, and at this year’s ceremony I said that we have opened the golden era of Hungarian para-sport. I was right. This team here in Paris is the golden team plus, we have opened the gate of the golden age and we will keep it open,” emphasized László Szabó, President of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee.
The President is fully satisfied with the performance and attitude of the Hungarian participants. “This team was fantastic. Every athlete gave their best for every single result, that is the most important thing. There were countless great placings, individual best performances. (…) We are where we belong, the Hungarian Paralympic team has made a special achievement. All Hungarians can and should be proud of them,” underlined László Szabó.
He emphasized that what he saw from the Hungarian athletes was impressive overall. “I do not want to single out anyone, but one thing is for sure:
We have four athletes, Zsófia Konkoly, Bianka Pap, Luca Ekler and Péter Pál Kiss, who have won gold again after Tokyo.
Of course they are at the top, because the only person above the gold medalist is the one who can keep the gold medal,” he stressed. “There are seven athletes who are in their teens or twenties – Bence Mocsári, Csaba Rescsik, Alexandra Szabó, Vivien Nagy, Petra Luterán, Csenge Hotz and Dalma Boldizsár. They have never been to the Paralympic Games before, this is the new generation,” emphasized the President.
When asked how he sees the atmosphere and the organization of the Paralympics, László Szabó answered almost exclusively in superlatives. “The French have made an extra Paralympics. The organization, the conditions, the creativity and the ideas were sensational. From a spectator’s point of view, everything was flawless. From the organizers’ point of view, I could list some mistakes, but I will not do that because I do not want to spoil anyone’s taste and it does not matter,” he concluded.
Via MTI; Featured image via Facebook/Magyar Paralimpiai Csapat