Out of the competing 12 teams, the men’s water polo team of Semmelweis University received the silver medal at the National Water Polo University and College Championships (MEFOB) held on 3-4 July, 2021 in Miskolc. The competition was jointly organized by the Hungarian Water Polo Federation, the Hungarian University Sports Federation and the University of Miskolc.
At the women’s competition, 4 higher education institutions were competing and 12 higher education institutions including Semmelweis University participated in the men’s competition. At the finals held on 4 July, Semmelweis University was playing against Budapest Business School, the champion of 2019. Budapest Business School managed to defend its previous ranking, therefore Semmelweis University received the silver medal and Corvinus University of Budapest was awarded the bronze medal.
“The members of the Water Polo Club of Semmelweis University enjoyed the weekend, but it was sometimes challenging”, said Miklós Kopa, team captain.
He also added that it was absolutely demanding to play four water polo matches during one weekend after the examination period and state examination were over at the university, but due to the fact that the team members can cooperate very well, they successfully managed to overcome the difficulties.
In the course of the group matches, the team members of Semmelweis University defeated the water polo team of Pázmány Péter Catholic University and that of the University of Pécs. In addition, at the semi-finals, they won the game against the University of Szeged. The team captain is extremely proud of the results and he also pointed out that the team aimed at receiving the gold medal next year.
The team kept on following the tactical ideas as discussed before, extremely disciplined, with maximum concentration. It is especially gratifying that there were several cutting-edge, first-class athletes among the opponents with whom we managed to compete successfully”
– said the coach of Semmelweis University’s Water Polo Club.
Vazul Karácsonyi highlighted that the water polo team members, physicians and medical students alike, managed to take the lead at both the Budapest Championship and the National Championship this year in addition to their academic activities and the participation in the fight against the coronavirus. It is amazing that they still had time and energy to play water polo besides all these commitments. According to their coach, this outstanding result could not have been succeeded if the water polo team members do not put their hearts and souls into the game. He expressed his gratitude to Balázs Kalanovics, assistant coach, to the entire team for their hard work as well as to Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector for his support.
The main patrons of the competition jointly organized by the Hungarian Water Polo Federation, the Hungarian University Sports Federation and the University of Miskolc were Tamás Faragó, Olympic, world and European champion Hungarian water polo player, coach, who was awarded the title ‘Athlete of the Nation’, and Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector, Vice-President of the Hungarian University Sports Federation.
At the award ceremony, the Rector emphasized how praiseworthy it is if someone is able to find time for doing sports to a high standard in addition to his/her university studies, and if the person does so in a team, that prepares the player for life.
Dr. Béla Merkely also added that those people may become the best professionals, for example engineers, economists, physicians, pharmacists, who are able to work together for the country, the economy, or the patients, all in their own field.
Orsolya Dávid
Photo: waterpolo.hu
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi
