Every year, the Hungarian Paralympic Committee appoints the ambassador couple of the Hungarian Parasport Day. In 2024 Zsófia Konkoly Paralympic, world and European champion swimmer and Kristóf Rasovszky Olympic silver medalist, world and European champion long-distance swimmer took on the role of ambassadors.
The Hungarian National Assembly unanimously adopted the five-party initiative of the Committee on Cultural Affairs at its meeting on 12 December, 2017, and therefore, a national day was appointed for Hungarian sports, parasports, school sports and Hungarian deaf sports. Hungarian Parasport Day is celebrated every year on 22 February. This date is symbolic, because on this day in 1970, the Olivér Halassy Sports Club of the Disabled was established in the “Mozgásjavító” Elementary School and Student’s Residence.
The Hungarian Paralympic Committee and the National Association of Student, Competitive and Leisure Sports of the Disabled (hereinafter: FODISZ) are preparing meaningful programmes for the event this year, as well. The traditional ’Soul Mover’ („Lélekmozgató) programme is announced again, in which domestic and foreign kindergarteners, primary, secondary school and higher education students can try the sports games during physical education classes or participate in awareness-raising programmes. The programme is also joined by local governments, child protection and social institutions and this year, as “newcomers”, sports clubs. In accordance with previous traditions, the participants will commemorate former Paralympians and organise an international parasport conference, as well.
This work is largely supported by the ambassadors of the Hungarian Parasport Day, whose main task is to promote the movement and introduce as many people as possible to the values of sports for people with disabilities. This year, the organisers have chosen two world-class swimmers, Paralympic champion Zsófia Konkoly and Olympic silver medalist Kristóf Rasovszky.
Zsófia Konkoly‘s right hand was not fully developed since her birth, but her injury did not hinder her from developing her swimming talent. She competed with able-bodied swimmers for a long time, then she got to know the world of parasports: her first role model was Tamás Sors, also born in Pécs. Zsófi’s talent quickly showed itself: already at the 2016 Rio Paralympics – at the age of fourteen – she won a bronze medal. Five years later, in Tokyo, she did her best and gained one gold and two silver medals. She won a Paralympic quota again at the 2023 World Championships in Manchester, so we can cheer for her at the Paris Games this year, as well. In addition to her sports career, she is also pursuing university studies at the University of Pécs in the field of social work, as it is important for her to help and support those living in a similar situation.
Kristóf Rasovszky‘s best-known results are related to open water swimming, but at the same time, he is also doing better and better in the pool: at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, he was a finalist in the 1,500-meter freestyle and eventually took 6th place. Kristóf is a really social person, which is proven by the fact that, studying in one of the strongest high schools in the country, he did not want to be a private student, while doing elite sports. He is currently an electrical engineering student at the Technical Informatics Faculty of Pannon University. He has already received several prestigious domestic and international recognitions: he was chosen as the male long-distance swimmer of the year in the 2018 and 2019 polls of the European Swimming Federation and, in 2019 he also became the male open water swimmer of the year at the International Swimming Federation.
In addition to the Paralympic and Olympic preparations, our two ambassadors promote Hungarian Parasport Day in several forums, and our world-class athletes will be present at the Parasport Day central events. Join our events and follow the programme at https://fodisz.hu/mpn2024/