Our Military Athletes Won a Gold and a Bronze Medal

CISM 42nd World Military Judo Championship has ended

Text: Levente Petróczy | Photo: Franciska Veres | 16:34 October 24, 2024

The 42nd World Military Judo Championship was hosted by Tashkent this year. In the capital city of Uzbekistan, 213 military athletes from 29 nations stood up on the tatami. From the four-member Hungarian delegation, Lance Corporal Roland Gőz won a gold medal in the 90kg category, while Corporal Brigitta Vargha won a bronze medal in the 63kg category.

Major Szabolcs Krizsán, Commander of the HDF Sports Company, told us that he had been in a difficult situation before the championship as he had wanted to take as many Olympian judoka to the military championship as he could but many of them had been struggling with injuries. Therefore, they were not expecting medals, and they thought even less about someone from the delegation returning home as a champion a few days after they left for the competition.

“With these two medals, my expectations were greatly exceeded. Now, a very short rest is awaiting them because as soldiers, they are constantly participating in recruitment and education tasks and as athletes, they will continue to prepare for competitions”, said the major.

The world champion Lance Corporal Roland Gőz said that preparation had not been easy for him as he had returned after an injury, thus, he had not had high expectations for the championship. He emphasized that he had tried to make up for his relapsed physical condition with his mental strength and make as many as he could out of the competition.

“I tried to take it easier after the injury and pump myself up, especially mentally because I knew that physically I was not in my best shape. I had to compensate for it by being mentally present 100 percent in each match, so I could apply the best tactic”, said the world champion lance corporal about the way toward the gold medal.

Neither did the year begin easily for Corporal Brigitta Vargha, who was injured in the first half of it, and in the second half, she participated in four competitions but could not win any medals. At the world championship in Tashkent, due to a previous competition in Abu Dhabi, she arrived tired but all the more so determined.

“I was determined to secure a place for which my homeland can be proud of me and to show what I am capable of having recovered from an injury”, talked the corporal about her expectations before the competition.

Besides the gold and bronze medals, Corporal Kitti Kovács came to fifth place in 57kg and Lance Corporal Benedek Tóth won and lost two-two matches in 81kg. In the overall medal table, Hungary finished 7th out of 29 countries.