The largest Hungarian delegation ever will participate in the European University Games, which officially start on Friday in Debrecen and Miskolc. Széchenyi István University will be represented by 17 athletes at the multi-sport event.

The biggest sporting event in Hungary since the 1965 Summer Universiade, Debrecen and Miskolc will host the European University Games between 12 and 24 July. The sixth edition of the event will see athletes from universities across the continent compete against each other, representing their higher education institutions.

A total of 3,800 athletes from 428 universities in 35 countries, plus 1,000 accompanying persons and officials, are expected to take part in the multi-sport event, which will feature 17 sports. Thousands of volunteers are helping to ensure the success of the world competition.

The Games will be attended by the largest Hungarian delegation ever, with 581 athletes and 110 accompanying officials from 22 Hungarian higher education institutions. Széchenyi István University will be represented by 17 athletes. Titanilla Ábrahám, Blanka Darida, Réka Virág Erdélyi, Zoltán Kőhalmi, Attila Olasz, Bence Botond Szeredás, Richárd Tóth and András Vida will compete in floorball, while Péter Petrovics will compete in kick-boxing. They will also be joined by the 3x3 men's and women's basketball teams (Tamás Hagen, László Sólyom, Bálint Tóth-Erdei and Csanád Bakon, and Borbála Bánszegi, Emma Mihály, Anna Lilla Rozman and Fanni Baffy).

Dr Tamás Gyömörei, Head of the Sports and Recreation Centre at Széchenyi University, said that they are looking forward to the Games, which are also their home games. "After Eszter Fehérvári's bronze medal in rowing at the World University Rowing Championships last week, we are expecting another bright medal from Nikoletta Gyimes' judo students, but our women's basketball players, who won the Hungarian University-College National Championships, can also hope to be on the podium, as they have already gained international experience on several occasions."

Both the men's and women's 3x3 basketball teams of Széchenyi István University will compete at the European University Games (Photo: András Adorján)