Deeply moving scenes unfolded at the Papp László Arena just before the final block on day three of the OTP Bank World Judo Championships in Budapest. In a heartfelt tribute, Hungary honoured the careers of some of its most accomplished judoka, bidding farewell to these national icons with the recognition and respect their extraordinary contributions to the sport so richly deserve. Awards were presented by the following individuals: Dr. Tóth László, President of the Hungarian Judo Association; Nagy András, Secretary General of the Hungarian Judo Association; Dr. Demény Ádám, Vice President of the Hungarian Judo Association; Dr. Láng Zsolt, Vice President of the Hungarian Judo Association.
Csernoviczki Éva is Hungary’s first female Olympic medallist in judo, earning bronze in London 2012. A two-time European Champion and 11-time consecutive medallist at the continental level, she also claimed world and IJF World Tour medals and served on the Hungarian Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission. Mészáros Anett is a four-time World Championships medallist and 2010 European Champion. A former Junior World Champion and world number one in the -70kg category.
Karakas Hedvig, a 2020 European Champion and 2009 world bronze medallist, competed at three Olympic Games. With 27 IJF World Tour medals, she is one of Hungary’s most successful judoka and now serves as a Sport Director at the International Judo Federation. Erdélyi-Joó Abigél won two European titles, multiple world and European junior medals, and finished fifth place at the London 2012 Olympics whilst she earned a seventh finish at the Rio 2016 Olympics. She also won Grand Prix golds and remained one of Hungary’s most respected athletes.
Baczkó Bernadett earned bronze at the 2007 World Championships and competed at the 2008 Olympics, where she finished seventh place. A European Junior Champion with a distinctive Uki-goshi, she was a strong competitor in the -57kg category. Hadfi Dániel was European Champion in 2007 and a world bronze medallist that same year. A two-time World Cup winner and Olympian, he stood out for his power and success in the -100kg category.
Csoknyai László earned medals at major IJF events, including a Grand Slam bronze in Paris. He represented Hungary at several World Championships and two Olympic Games and was a key player in the -81kg category. Cirjenics Miklós is a double Olympian, who claimed Grand Slam and Grand Prix golds and stood on the podium at major international events including the IJF Masters. A consistent presence in the -100kg division, he was a key part of Hungary’s men’s team.
Bor Barna was a world and European silver medallist and a three-time U23 European Champion. He competed at multiply Olympic Games and was a long-standing figure in Hungary’s heavyweight category. He currently serves as the Head Coach of the Hungarian team. Krizsán Szabolcs won Grand Prix gold in Rijeka and Zagreb, along with multiple World Cup titles. He also claimed two U23 European silver medals. Known for his consistency in the -81kg category, he was a strong domestic rival and national team contributor. Madarász Tamás won the World Cup in Warsaw in 2009 and competed at the London Olympics and World Championships. A national champion with a strong junior record, he was known for his solid, technical judo.
Furthermore, in recognition of their lifelong contributions to the sport, Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to:
- Toncs Gusztáv, 4th dan, referee and sports official
- Péter Sándor, 7th dan, multiple veteran world and European champion
- Juhász József, 3rd dan, head and coach of Pestszentlőrinc-Kassa SE, former head coach of the Special Olympics team
- Dr Béres György, who served as team doctor for the Hungarian national squad across multiple Olympic cycles
- Illyés Miklós, 6th dan, Olympian, former Technical Director of the Hungarian Judo Association, and president of Miskolci VSC
The Gold Level “For Hungarian Judo” Award was presented to Csősz Imre, bronze medallist at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, World Championships bronze medallist, European Champion, and staff member of both the International Judo Federation and the Hungarian Judo Association.
Nagy András, Secretary General of the Hungarian Judo Association shared his feelings afterwards;
“I am at a loss for words. This is something that brings out enormous emotions in people and I hope it did in them as well. I could see it on the athletes’ faces, they were deeply moved, and so were we. All we can really say is thank you. They have given us so much pride, so much joy, so many unforgettable moments, that this is the least we can do: to give them such a dignified farewell, and the fact that we could do this on the third day of the Senior World Championships, with a medal, a fifth place and even a seventh place already secured, I think everything came together beautifully, and it’s truly something special.
“I would like to take this moment to thank the huge number of spectators, the judo-loving community, the clubs, the associations, everyone who comes out here each day. So far, it has exceeded even our wildest expectations, both in terms of the crowd and, like now at this farewell ceremony, so many people stayed, and they are staying on for the medal matches as well. We hope they will keep coming throughout next week, the Championships run until Friday, and we are quietly hopeful that we will still have more Hungarian victories to celebrate. The success of the past and the present in a single moment. I don’t think there could be anything more wonderful than that.”
Author: Szandra Szogedi