Áron Szilágyi the number one in Hungary: Summary of Hungarian Sports Journalists’ Association Athletes of the Year Gala
(Photo by MSÚSZ)
BUDAPEST, January 11, 2022 - The Hungarian Sports Journalists' Association (MSÚSZ) recognized the most outstanding athletes of the year for the 64th time on January 6, 2022.
A total of 366 sports journalists voted in 12 categories, including Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year (traditional team sports), Team of the Year (individual sports team competition), Coach of the Year, and Para-Athletes of the Year. Annually, the Hungarian Association names that personality who deserves a Lifetime Achievement award, and also this is the event, where they announce the best E-athlete as well as the best recreational events of the year. The last category out of the twelve is where National Sport Television, the M4 Sport’s viewers can vote for the “Sport Moment of the Year”.
After last’s years hybrid event, where only the nominated athletes appeared at the National Theatre’s smaller stage without the presence of the audience, this year the organizers decided to return to the original red-carpet event, with a full house in the theatre.
Of course, all the necessary healthcare and anti-viral precautions had been made in advance, for example, this was the first year, where the invited guests and the nominees could submit their participation via a brand new application, by uploading their health-protection card firstly, and then it was just as important, that the entering process could be environmentally friendly as a safe enough no-touch check-in was applied using QR codes.
Similar to the previous Galas, where the HSJA invited world famous athletes like Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Monika Szeles, or Kati Szabó to elevate the level of the gala even higher, this year, the road cycling legend, triple-crown winner Irish Stephen Roche’s participation added extraordinary value to the Gala, which was not surprising as Hungarians are preparing for this year’s Giro d‘Italia ‘Grande Partenza'. The first three stage of the Giro will take place in Hungary’s most picturesque area, including Budapest, Visegrád, and the Lake Balaton from 6-8 of May, and Stephen Roche is going to be a key figure throughout the preparation.
Hungarian sports journalists had a very difficult task in choosing the best of the best this year. For example in the Male Athlete of the Year category, there were five individual Olympic Champions to choose from, out of which two kayakers could not even make it to the top three.
These are the winners and the top three of each category:
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. SZILÁGYI ÁRON (fencer) 767 points
2. KRISTÓF MILÁK (swimmer) 487
3. TAMÁS LŐRINCZ (wrestler) 400
WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. TAMARA CSIPES (canoeist) 742 points
2. DANUTA KOZÁK (canoeist) 430
3. BLANKA KATA VAS (cyclist) 366
TEAM OF THE YEAR (traditional team sports)
1. WOMEN'S WATER POLO TEAM 607 points
2. MEN'S WATER POLO TEAM 576
3. MEN'S NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM 275
TEAM OF THE YEAR (individual sports team competition)
1. WOMEN'S KAYAK FOUR (Dóra Bodonyi, Tamara Csipes, Anna Kárász, Danuta Kozák) 851 points
2. MEN'S SABER TEAM (Tamás Decsi, Csanád Gémesi, András Szatmári, Áron Szilágyi) 468
3. MEN'S SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING RELAY (Csaba Burján, John-Henry Krueger, Shaoand Liu, Shaolin Sándor Liu, Alex Varnyú) 192
COACH OF THE YEAR
1. ANDRÁS DECSI (Áron Szilágyi’s coach, saber team) 431 points
2. ATTILA SELMECI (Kristóf Milák’s coach) 374
3. FERENC CSIPES (Tamara Csipes, and women's kayak four’s coach) 335
MALE PARA- ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. Péter Pál Kiss (paracanoeist) 1109 points
2. Péter Pálos (para table tennis player) 933
3. Richárd Osváth (wheelchair fencer) 714
FEMALE PARA- ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. Bianka Pap (para swimmer) 941 points
2. Zsófia Konkoly (para swimmer) 813
3. Luca Ekler (para-athlete) 793
TEAM OF THE YEAR OF PARA-ATHLETES
1. Women's wheelchair fencing team (Gyöngyi Dani, Zsuzsanna Krajnyák, dr. Boglárka Madarászné Mező, Éva Hajmási) 1120 points
2. Women's para-swimming relay (Fanni Illés, Zsófia Konkoly, Bianka Pap, Kata Payer) 909
3. Boccia mixed pair (Alexadra Szabó, László Hegedűs) 720
Sport Moment of the Year: Attila Fiola's goal at the European Football Championship against France. (The fans voted on channel M4 Sport's website, and a professional jury decided on the winner out of the top three. The other two candidates: Áron Szilágyi's final touch at the Tokyo Olympics and Attila Valter wearing the maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia.)
MSÚSZ Lifetime Achievement Award: József Raduly, the oldest living Hungarian footballer, 95 years old this year. (Based on MSÚSZ Board's decision.)
E-Athlete of the Year: Patrik Blazsán (The MSÚSZ Board decided the winner on the recommendation of HUNESZ.)
Recreational Sporting Event of the Year: Jenő Buzánszky Football University Cup (Debrecen). It was possible to apply in this category, and the MSÚSZ Board decided on the winner.
A total of 366 sports journalists voted in 12 categories, including Male Athlete of the Year, Female Athlete of the Year, Team of the Year (traditional team sports), Team of the Year (individual sports team competition), Coach of the Year, and Para-Athletes of the Year. Annually, the Hungarian Association names that personality who deserves a Lifetime Achievement award, and also this is the event, where they announce the best E-athlete as well as the best recreational events of the year. The last category out of the twelve is where National Sport Television, the M4 Sport’s viewers can vote for the “Sport Moment of the Year”.
After last’s years hybrid event, where only the nominated athletes appeared at the National Theatre’s smaller stage without the presence of the audience, this year the organizers decided to return to the original red-carpet event, with a full house in the theatre.
Of course, all the necessary healthcare and anti-viral precautions had been made in advance, for example, this was the first year, where the invited guests and the nominees could submit their participation via a brand new application, by uploading their health-protection card firstly, and then it was just as important, that the entering process could be environmentally friendly as a safe enough no-touch check-in was applied using QR codes.
Similar to the previous Galas, where the HSJA invited world famous athletes like Carl Lewis, Mark Spitz, Monika Szeles, or Kati Szabó to elevate the level of the gala even higher, this year, the road cycling legend, triple-crown winner Irish Stephen Roche’s participation added extraordinary value to the Gala, which was not surprising as Hungarians are preparing for this year’s Giro d‘Italia ‘Grande Partenza'. The first three stage of the Giro will take place in Hungary’s most picturesque area, including Budapest, Visegrád, and the Lake Balaton from 6-8 of May, and Stephen Roche is going to be a key figure throughout the preparation.
Hungarian sports journalists had a very difficult task in choosing the best of the best this year. For example in the Male Athlete of the Year category, there were five individual Olympic Champions to choose from, out of which two kayakers could not even make it to the top three.
These are the winners and the top three of each category:
MEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. SZILÁGYI ÁRON (fencer) 767 points
2. KRISTÓF MILÁK (swimmer) 487
3. TAMÁS LŐRINCZ (wrestler) 400
WOMEN'S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. TAMARA CSIPES (canoeist) 742 points
2. DANUTA KOZÁK (canoeist) 430
3. BLANKA KATA VAS (cyclist) 366
TEAM OF THE YEAR (traditional team sports)
1. WOMEN'S WATER POLO TEAM 607 points
2. MEN'S WATER POLO TEAM 576
3. MEN'S NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM 275
TEAM OF THE YEAR (individual sports team competition)
1. WOMEN'S KAYAK FOUR (Dóra Bodonyi, Tamara Csipes, Anna Kárász, Danuta Kozák) 851 points
2. MEN'S SABER TEAM (Tamás Decsi, Csanád Gémesi, András Szatmári, Áron Szilágyi) 468
3. MEN'S SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATING RELAY (Csaba Burján, John-Henry Krueger, Shaoand Liu, Shaolin Sándor Liu, Alex Varnyú) 192
COACH OF THE YEAR
1. ANDRÁS DECSI (Áron Szilágyi’s coach, saber team) 431 points
2. ATTILA SELMECI (Kristóf Milák’s coach) 374
3. FERENC CSIPES (Tamara Csipes, and women's kayak four’s coach) 335
MALE PARA- ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. Péter Pál Kiss (paracanoeist) 1109 points
2. Péter Pálos (para table tennis player) 933
3. Richárd Osváth (wheelchair fencer) 714
FEMALE PARA- ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
1. Bianka Pap (para swimmer) 941 points
2. Zsófia Konkoly (para swimmer) 813
3. Luca Ekler (para-athlete) 793
TEAM OF THE YEAR OF PARA-ATHLETES
1. Women's wheelchair fencing team (Gyöngyi Dani, Zsuzsanna Krajnyák, dr. Boglárka Madarászné Mező, Éva Hajmási) 1120 points
2. Women's para-swimming relay (Fanni Illés, Zsófia Konkoly, Bianka Pap, Kata Payer) 909
3. Boccia mixed pair (Alexadra Szabó, László Hegedűs) 720
Sport Moment of the Year: Attila Fiola's goal at the European Football Championship against France. (The fans voted on channel M4 Sport's website, and a professional jury decided on the winner out of the top three. The other two candidates: Áron Szilágyi's final touch at the Tokyo Olympics and Attila Valter wearing the maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia.)
MSÚSZ Lifetime Achievement Award: József Raduly, the oldest living Hungarian footballer, 95 years old this year. (Based on MSÚSZ Board's decision.)
E-Athlete of the Year: Patrik Blazsán (The MSÚSZ Board decided the winner on the recommendation of HUNESZ.)
Recreational Sporting Event of the Year: Jenő Buzánszky Football University Cup (Debrecen). It was possible to apply in this category, and the MSÚSZ Board decided on the winner.
News from the same category
