"Hungarian athletes amassed just three gold, five silver and two bronze medals at the Beijing Olympics, which concluded on Sunday evening, the country’s poorest showing since 1928, Nepszabadsag writes.On Saturday kayakers Katalin Kovacs and Natasa Janics successfully defended their gold medal in the 500-metre women’s kayak pairs. Earlier Kovacs was fourth in the 500-metre women’s singles. Hungary’s men’s water polo team won the third gold medal on Sunday by defeating the US 14-10 in the tournament final. It was the team’s third consecutive gold medal, after winning the gold in Sydney in 2000 and in Athens in 2004.
Attila Vajda, who hails from Szeged, won Hungary’s first gold medal at the Beijing Olympics in the men’s 1,000-metre canoeing on Friday. Vajda dedicated his victory to Olympic canoeing champion Gyorgy Kolonics, who died on July 15.
The foursome Katalin Kovacs, Gabriella Szabo, Danuta Kozak and Natasa Janics took the silver medal in the 500-metre kayak event, while canoeists Gyorgy Kozmann and Tamas Kiss won the bronze in the pairs 1,000 -metres.
Hungary was 21st in the overall standings. China was top with 51 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze medals, followed by the US with 36 gold, 38 silver and 36 bronze medals, and Russia with 23 gold, 21 silver and 28 bronze medals.
IOC member and Hungarian Olympic Committee president Pal Schmitt said in an interview with Magyar Hirlap that “clear and long-term planning as well as appropriate support from state and local authorities is required for future successes.”
Source: Hungary Around the Clock.
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28.08.2008