Hungary at the 2018 Winter Paralympics facts for kids
Hungary sent athletes to compete at the 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. These games are a big sports event for athletes with disabilities. Hungary sent three people: a blind skier and his guide for para-alpine skiing, and a woman for para-Nordic skiing. This was special because Hungary had not been to the 2014 Games in Sochi. Zsolt Balogh became the first person who is blind to represent Hungary at the Winter Paralympics.
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Team Hungary at the Paralympics
In June 2017, the Hungarian Paralympic Committee (MPB) announced that they had earned at least three spots for the games. They got two spots for para-Nordic skiing and one for para-alpine skiing. The para-alpine spot was thanks to blind skier Zsolt Balogh and his guide skier Bence Bocsi. The para-Nordic spots were earned by Krisztina Lőrincz. She uses a sit-ski because of her disability (LW10.5 class).
Laszlo Szabó from the MPB said they were proud to be at the Winter Paralympics. He mentioned that Hungary did not have any athletes at the last Winter Games in Sochi. He felt it was a great success to compete in three of the six sports. This was thanks to the hard work of the athletes and their coaches. The three spots were even more than the government had hoped for earlier that year.
Zsolt Balogh, his guide Bence Bocsi, and Krisztina Lőrincz were officially chosen for the team in November 2017. Balogh made history as the first blind person from Hungary at the Winter Paralympics.
Here are the members of Team Hungary for the 2018 Games:
| Name | Sport | Gender | Classification | Events | ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zsolt Balogh | para-alpine skiing | male | |||
| Bence Bocsi | para-alpine skiing | male | guide skier | ||
| Krisztina Lőrincz | para-Nordic skiing | female | LW10.5 |
Hungary's Paralympic History
Hungary first took part in the Winter Paralympics in 2002. Their best results happened at the 2006 Winter Paralympics. Agnes Vas finished ninth in the women's slalom sitting race. Hungary did not attend the 2014 Winter Paralympics. At the 2010 Winter Paralympics, Hungarian athletes only competed in para-alpine skiing.
Support for the Team
The Korean Cultural Center, the Olympic Committee of Hungary, and the Hungarian Paralympic Committee all signed an agreement. This agreement helped support and fund the athletes for the 2018 Games.
Para-alpine Skiing
Alpine Skiers
Zsolt Balogh is a blind skier. He skis with his guide skier Bence Bocsi, who helps him navigate the course. After being chosen for the team, Balogh said they had worked very hard. He was happy to reach their first goal: to be in the games. He expected tough races because many good skiers compete in his category. He hoped for good results with practice, snow, and a bit of luck.
Alpine Skiing Schedule
The para-alpine skiing events started with the downhill race on March 10. The Super-G race was on March 11. The super combined event took place on March 13. This event has a Super-G part in the morning and a slalom part in the afternoon. The slalom event was on March 14 and 15. Both women and men raced in the morning. In the afternoon, women had their second run, then men had theirs. The last para-alpine skiing race was the giant slalom on March 17 and 18.
Para-Nordic Skiing
Nordic Skier
Krisztina Lőrincz is an LW10.5 sit-skier. She competes in both cross-country skiing and biathlon. Biathlon combines skiing with shooting. To get ready for the 2018 Paralympics, Lőrincz trained a lot. She used rollers on some days and practiced shooting on others. On long weekends, she did extra training to improve her body. She also worked with a sports psychologist. She did all this while working six to seven hours a day.
Krisztina enjoys shooting, which is a main reason she likes para-Nordic skiing. She actually prefers cycling over skiing! She almost made it to the 2014 Winter Paralympics but didn't qualify. Since January 2017, Kristóf Lágler has been her coach. It was a bit easier for her to qualify for the 2018 Games because Russian skiers were not allowed to compete.
Krisztina Lőrincz also represented Hungary at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. She competed in adapted rowing and finished 11th. Outside of sports, she works as a human resources specialist. She had a car accident in 2005, which caused her disability.
Nordic Skiing Schedule
On March 12, the 15 km cross-country race took place. The sprint classic qualification was on March 14 for all skiers. This was followed by semifinals and finals in the afternoon. The classic race was on March 17. The 7.5 km race for standing and visually impaired women also took place on that day.
See also
In Spanish: Hungría en los Juegos Paralímpicos de Pyeongchang 2018 para niños
