Students of Széchenyi István University won one gold, one silver, and two bronze medals at the European University Games held in Debrecen and Miskolc. With this, it concluded the massive sports event as the third most successful Hungarian institution.

Debrecen and Miskolc hosted the European University Games from July 12 to 24, with the participation of 3800 athletes from 428 universities in 35 countries. The event, featuring 17 sports, saw the largest Hungarian delegation of all time, with nearly 600 students from 22 domestic higher education institutions. Seventeen competitors represented Széchenyi István University of Győr in kickboxing, judo, and 3x3 basketball, achieving podium finishes in all three sports.

The brightest medal for the Győr delegation was won by Péter Petrovics, who earned a gold medal in the full-contact 86 kg category in kickboxing after defeating his Turkish opponent.

Péter Petrovics on the top step of the podium in kickboxing. (Photo: EUG 2024)

The judokas (judo practitioners) of Széchenyi István University also excelled, with two delegation members returning home with medals. András Vida achieved second place in the 66 kg weight category among more than 30 competitors, while Botond Bence Szeredás won a bronze medal in the 73 kg category.

András Vida won a silver, and Botond Bence Szeredás won a bronze in judo. (Photo: EUG 2024)

In 3x3 basketball, the women's team from Győr secured third place as the best Hungarian team. Dr. István Barthalos's students defeated their German opponents to reach the top four teams in the tournament, where they first lost to their Spanish rivals. However, in the bronze match, they won in a dramatic overtime game against the Ukrainian girls, who had previously eliminated the Hungarian University of Physical Education and Sports Science.

The bronze medal winning 3x3 basketball team from Győr: Fanni Baffy, Emma Mihály, Lilla Anna Rozmán, Borbála Bánszegi. (Photo: EUG 2024)

Regarding the participation of Széchenyi István University, Tamás Gyömörei, head of the institution's Sports and Recreation Centre, expressed his immense gratitude to the athletes. He noted that despite their studies, they committed to several months of preparation, training sessions, training camps, and preliminary competitions to represent the institution successfully. "Knowing that such a level of achievement involves a journey of ten to fifteen years filled with sacrifices, setbacks, and dedication, I believe they represent an outstanding value that sets an example for other students and faculty alike. I hope that in the future, we can continue to provide our elite athletes with an environment that allows them to achieve similar or even greater successes in both their sports careers and studies," he emphasized.

Seventeen athletes represented Széchenyi István University at the European University Games. They included Titanilla Ábrahám, Blanka Darida, Réka Virág Erdélyi, Zoltán Kőhalmi, Attila Olasz, Botond Bence Szeredás, Richárd Tóth, and András Vida (judo); Péter Petrovics (kickboxing); Borbála Bánszegi, Emma Mihály, Lilla Anna Rozmán, and Fanni Baffy (women's 3x3 basketball); Tamás Hagen, László Sólyom, Bálint Tóth-Erdei, and Csanád Bakon (men's 3x3 basketball).

Hungary were top of the medal tables, winning 16 gold, 18 silver, and 24 bronze medals. Széchenyi István University contributed significantly to this success, ranking as the third-best domestic institution, tied with Corvinus University of Budapest, following the Hungarian University of Physical Education and Sport Sciences and Eötvös Loránd University.