The journey started three weeks ago. In the morning, Liszt Ferenc International Airport was busier than usual, and the plane carrying the Hungarian Olympic team was constantly shuttling between Budapest and Paris. While other passengers were sipping their morning coffee and wiping their eyes, our athletes dressed in bright red were full of energy, eagerly awaiting take-off. And not only newcomers from the five rings, but also routine classics, after all, the Olympics are special precisely because you never know what to expect.
We did not know it either, but we were hoping for a successful performance, because we had every reason to do so based on the work done and the results of the “truncated” three-year cycle.
Then it caught fire, and we were able to field the Hungarian athletes for over two weeks. As the days passed, the use of the Olympic flight also changed, as it no longer needed to transport the delegation members from the French capital to Budapest, but rather to Paris. After the closing ceremony on Sunday evening, the golden machine also took off on Monday afternoon, full of happy passengers – and a large amount of precious metals. During the security check, of course, the medals also had to be lit, and our Olympic taekwondo champion, Marton Viviana, carefully placed the gold medal in a separate box.
“We wish you a pleasant evening from the cockpit! Please allow me to express our congratulations and thanks on behalf of the cabin crew and all Hungarians for the amazing results you achieved in the colors of Hungary at the Olympic Games. It is a great honor to fly the aircraft home, heavy with so many medals.” . The captain said before take-off, and his impromptu speech was met with a storm of applause on board, as we learned from the Hungary team's website. From a video recording.
Our Olympics were still in the air when fans gathered at Puskás Zóborpark, and when they saw the plane, they even waved to the athletes. The atmosphere officials, Erzsébet Fazekas and Ákos Léderer, tested the knowledge of those interested with a short quiz, and they could not ask such a difficult question to which sports fans did not know the answer. From swimming to fencing to rowing, successful sports were on the table, as well as Parisian champions, greats of the past were also evoked, and music was provided by DJ Szecsei, the favorite disc jockey of the men's water polo team.
Meanwhile, the youngest member of the men's saber team, Christian Raab, ran with his Olympic silver medal around his neck, happily handing out autographs to those waiting on the other side of the hoop. Many tried to endure the scorching heat by taking shelter in the shade of the trees, but as soon as it was announced that the athletes' buses were already heading to Népliget, fans gathered in front of the stage.
In addition to the Secretary of State responsible for Sports, Adam Schmidt, the President of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, Zsolt Gyulay, and the Secretary General of the organization, László Fabian, led the delegation to the stage, which was received by the audience with great cheers. Audience. the Free yourself from desire The Parisian heroes waved bouquets of flowers in their hands, and we also spotted graduation balloons among the audience in addition to the Hungarian flags.
“I fought the noble fight, finished my race, and kept the faith Zsolt Gyulai began his speech with a quote from the Bible, in which he thanked the athletes, their coaches and sports leaders. – We have achieved a result of which we can be truly proud. Our Olympians have brought joy to fifteen million Hungarians from here and abroad. The Olympics had a bumpy start, but ended fantastically, as we spent unforgettable moments at the Grand Palais, the swimming pool, the kayak course, the Palace of Versailles, and more. For the last one hundred and twenty-eight years, we have always brought home a gold medal from the Summer Olympics whenever we have participated. “Our position on the medal table and the points table shows how successful Hungarian sport is.”
With the help of the audience, the medal winners were called separately: the presenters said their last name, the fans said their first name – in other words, they were shouted at. We also heard a drum solo during a tribute to Olympic silver medalist hammer thrower, Bence Halas, and Michelle Gulyas, who won our last gold medal in Paris, was supported by a large fan base, and was probably the most tired on stage.
Finally, coaches, doctors, kneaders, nutritionists and psychologists – the professionals who helped the athletes prepare for Paris – were celebrated in the background. And although they haven't been in the spotlight for the past two and a half weeks, they also received the same applause as the contestants, who met and chatted with fans after the ceremonial welcome.
Numbers never lie. Six gold, seven silver, six bronze, that is 19 medals, 14th in the medal table. And what lies behind them: extraordinary achievements, tears of joy, special stories, unforgettable moments. Paris truly deserves a mass.
