Hungary’s judo star fights for his sport
Krisztian Toth is not just fighting for his place in Olympic history. He’s fighting for the future of the sport in his country.
Judo athletes are under pressure because they may not get funding if they don’t perform. Toth is hoping goldin Paris will give his teammates a much-needed boost.
#paris2024 #olympics #hungary #judo
Judo athletes are under pressure because they may not get funding if they don’t perform. Toth is hoping goldin Paris will give his teammates a much-needed boost.
#paris2024 #olympics #hungary #judo
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00:00The sounds of hard work from these Budapest judo halls spill into the streets.
00:06Here Hungary's Olympic medalist Christian Toth and his teammates pour their hearts into their training twice a day, five days a week.
00:16I'm very tired of course, but we're on the right path.
00:21With the Olympics just around the corner, we're doing everything possible to be in great shape for the Games.
00:26Overall, I'm feeling very positive.
00:29In the mornings, I usually focus on strength exercises. In the afternoons, we have technical and fighting practices.
00:37Toth competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, won a bronze at Tokyo 2020, and is now hoping to become Hungary's first judoka to claim two Olympic medals.
00:49I'm determined to return from Paris as an Olympic champion, having won the gold. It's a huge dream.
00:56Since beginning his journey in the sport at the age of six, Toth has worked relentlessly to become one of the best Hungarian judokas.
01:05Hungary has won a total of ten Olympic medals with only just one gold back in 1992 by Antal Kovács.
01:14Toth says that it was Kovács' victory and career that inspired him to pursue the sport.
01:22Hungary's judo team is also determined to secure the future of Olympic judo in their country.
01:29Over the past four years, Hungary has reduced funding for many sports.
01:34Every Olympics is crucial, especially for the Hungarian Judo Association.
01:39With the economic challenges we face, non-profitable sports will struggle.
01:43This Olympics is a double test for us, as our future depends on our performance and medals.
01:52For Toth, the Paris Olympics could be the grand finale of a remarkable career.
01:57At 30 years old, he believes this could be his last shot at gold.
02:02I'm excited to see what the future holds.
02:05I have the opportunity to continue working in sports or to explore entirely new directions.
02:12For now, he remains focused on the fight.
02:15For Team Hungary, for Olympic gold and for the future of the sport he has loved all his life.
02:23Pablo Gutiérrez, CGTN, Budapest.