{"id":49843,"date":"2026-11-05T06:00:43","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T05:00:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/?p=49843"},"modified":"2026-11-05T06:08:27","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T05:08:27","slug":"world-champion-teammates-on-the-fencing-strip-fellow-students-at-semmelweis-talent%c2%b2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/2026\/11\/world-champion-teammates-on-the-fencing-strip-fellow-students-at-semmelweis-talent%c2%b2\/","title":{"rendered":"World champion teammates on the fencing strip, fellow students at Semmelweis \u2013 Talent\u00b2"},"content":{"rendered":"
Ren\u00e1ta Katona and Anna Spiesz returned home with a gold medal in saber fencing (as part of a team alongside Sug\u00e1r Battai and Luca Sz\u0171cs) from the World Fencing Championships held in Hong Kong in the summer of 2026. After a short break, they will continue their studies at Semmelweis University\u2019s Faculty of Health Sciences (ETK) and Faculty of Medicine (\u00c1OK), respectively. Alongside elite sports, they envision their future in the fields of medicine and health sciences \u2013 a long road ahead that involves completing numerous courses and practical training sessions, all while supporting each other in both sports and in their studies. Their ultimate goal is to compete in the Olympics \u2013 and they are already actively preparing for the qualifying competitions, which begin next spring.<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cIt feels great to be a world champion. We\u2019re still the same people, nothing has changed, and yet it\u2019s a little hard to believe that we might even be role models to someone,\u201d Anna Spiesz (\u00c1OK) told our website during her introduction. She has been fencing and competing regularly since elementary school, and she became a world champion at her very first world championships. Her teammate, Ren\u00e1ta Katona (ETK), who has now won her second world championship title, added: \u201cIt\u2019s a big responsibility, but we\u2019re happy about the attention we\u2019re getting.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an elite athlete, Anna Spiesz is able to pursue her medical studies on an individualized schedule; she still maintains close ties with her third-year classmates, is taking a joint course with them this year, and even has classes left over from her second year: \u201cBecause of this, I\u2019d rather call myself a \u2018second-plus-year\u2019 student, but I\u2019m making steady progress here as well,\u201d she interjected, while Ren\u00e1ta, a third-year student in the dietetics program, is already pursuing her second degree through a correspondence program.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started fencing at age seven in an after-school club, where it was mostly just play, along with a little basic footwork. When I was nine or ten, I was invited to the fencing hall, where the training was more serious; at first, I missed the playful part, but then I grew to like it,\u201d Anna Spiesz began as she described her athletic background. Ren\u00e1ta Katona was eight years old when, encouraged by her grandfather, she tried fencing. \u201cAt first, it seemed like a sport for boys; I didn\u2019t really know what fencing was, but when I went down to the hall, it was love at first sight,\u201d she recalled. \u201cIt was a given in our family that everyone would be physically active, that we should do as much sports as possible, find something we really love, and stick with it for at least half a year or a year to see what it\u2019s all about \u2013 that\u2019s how I got into saber fencing,\u201d Ren\u00e1ta Katona added. Regular sports were a part of life in both families, and during our conversation, a common thread emerged: Both of their fathers had played water polo.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Anna Spiesz and Ren\u00e1ta Katona became teammates in 2017 at the Budapest-based club Vasas SC, joining the Fencing Division, which will celebrate its 80th anniversary next year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cFencing is a sport that you can balance with your studies. Whenever there was a major test at school, an exam, or some other form of assessment, the coaches were always flexible about it,\u201d said Anna Spiesz. \u201cI also think fencing is \u2018student-friendly\u2019, and the milieu is quite intellectual; as far as I know, many doctors, veterinarians, and lawyers have come from here,\u201d added Ren\u00e1ta Katona. Anna Spiesz\u2019s passion for a career in healthcare goes back to her childhood; both of her grandparents were family doctors \u2013 one treating children and the other adults \u2013 and she spent her summers with them as a child. \u201cThere was a kind medical assistant there who let me help with small tasks, and that captivated me so much that I wanted to be a doctor even when I was very young,\u201d she explained. Because of competitive sports, they have both been working with a dietitian for a long time, which is how Ren\u00e1ta Katona came to be interested in the field of dietetics: \u201cAs elite athletes, we have to pay even more attention to nutrition than most people; it\u2019s a crucial part of our physical condition and contributes significantly to our performance. Also, the fact that my mother is a nurse may have played a role in my interest in healthcare,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

With numerous competitions under her belt, Ren\u00e1ta Katona considers her first selection to the national team to be her most memorable sporting experience and a turning point \u2013 a time when, at age 15, she played exceptionally well in the cadet age group. \u201cWhen I received my first national team tracksuit and achieved a good result at a world competition, I started to think that anything was possible\u2026\u201d Anna Spiesz cited her junior years following the cadet level as a similar turning point: \u201cIn my first year as a junior, I think I made it onto the podium in my second competition; from there, the results started coming in, and it began to dawn on me that if I was successful at the junior level, I might even be able to compete in the adult division. It was truly an amazing experience when, at around 19 or 20 years old, I actually did that in my first year as a senior, and then we went on to become world champions,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Anna Spiesz (pictured on the right) is currently ranked 15th in the world, while Ren\u00e1ta Katona\u2019s best ranking to date has been around 11th.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWhat I love about fencing is that I know I have a chance against my opponent, but of course I have to believe in myself,\u201d Anna Spiesz emphasized. The fact that, in a sense, there are no physical limits to the sport is a source of motivation for her \u2013 athletes don\u2019t have to compete based on distance covered or time, as in many other sports. As she also pointed out, describing the psychology of saber fencing:<\/p>\n

\n

Your placing in a competition and how you fence depend largely on your form that day and on your mental preparation \u2013 whether you\u2019re fully present not just physically, but mentally as well. That\u2019s why, in an average competition, you stand a chance even against fencers who are, say, world or Olympic champions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ren\u00e1ta Katona added: \u201cTactics are a very important factor in competition, and Hungary has a world-class tradition in fencing technique and coaching.\u201d This is also part of what makes the sport so beautiful to her.<\/p>\n

Daily routines also play a role in success; Anna Spiesz, for example, has certain pre-event rituals. \u201cBefore a competition, I absolutely have to read at least a page or two from my current favorite novel or crime story, so I read in the evening and in the morning as well. There have been times when Reni [Ren\u00e1ta Katona] was about to leave for the competition venue, and I asked her to wait a moment: \u2018Just two more lines, and I\u2019ll be right there.\u2019 I also have a little pony \u2013 you can usually see it in the photos \u2013 a little mascot that\u2019s right there beside me.\u201d Ren\u00e1ta Katona added that they had already learned several techniques from their sports psychologist that help with concentration before competitions. \u201cRelaxation and stress management are very useful; when we\u2019re nervous, we know what to do, and I try to incorporate these techniques into my competition routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the junior categories, the competition season lasts about nine months; at the senior level, it\u2019s 11 months a year, plus we have one month off,\u201d said Anna Spiesz. \u201cThere are times during the competition season when we travel abroad to compete every two weeks \u2013 sometimes to Lima one week and Korea the next,\u201d added Ren\u00e1ta Katona.<\/p>\n\r\n [slb_exclude]\r\n

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As far as competitions are concerned, the Olympics play an important role in both of their lives. Ren\u00e1ta Katona competed at the Tokyo Olympics during the COVID-19 pandemic, under very strict safety protocols. \u201cBeing there at a competition like that, at the very pinnacle of the sport and among the very best athletes, is a wonderful \u2013 actually, indescribable \u2013 feeling. So I hope Anna gets to experience it too!\u201d she added. \u201cEver since I was little, it\u2019s been my dream to make it to the Olympics and maybe even win a medal there. I hope I\u2019ll succeed someday, and it would be great if Reni and I could experience it together. We\u2019ll both work toward this as teammates, but also off the fencing strip,\u201d Anna Spiesz noted.<\/p>\n

There are many notable figures in Hungarian and international sports who attract their attention. For Anna Spiesz, it was an unforgettable experience when, upon entering her first training session at Vasas, she came face-to-face with \u00c1ron Szil\u00e1gyi (a three-time Olympic champion, as well as a world and European champion Hungarian saber fencer and president of the Vasas SC Fencing Division). \u201cNot only did he call Anna by name, but since then they\u2019ve often trained together,\u201d Ren\u00e1ta Katona remarked, adding that she also looks up to her own coach, who, in addition to being a fencing coach, practices his \u201cconventional profession\u201d as a lawyer, demonstrating that a \u201cdual career path\u201d is possible for an athlete.<\/p>\n

They often talk about the challenges of studying: University coursework even comes up during trips to competitions.<\/p>\n

\n

I don\u2019t have many days off. I have to study a lot; good time management is important. Throughout the academic year I try to prepare as much as possible, and during exam periods, I focus entirely on that alongside fencing. \u2013 Ren\u00e1ta Katona<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cMy best experience at the university so far has been passing my anatomy exam! I managed to do it this year, right after the European Fencing Championships. I struggled with it a bit because I was quite apprehensive based on what I\u2019d heard about it, so completing it successfully was a huge sense of accomplishment, and I owe a lot to my classmates and teachers as well,\u201d Anna Spiesz said. Ren\u00e1ta Katona added that she felt fortunate to attend this university; she takes pride in its reputation and is grateful that they are able to study at Semmelweis.<\/p>\n

Update: At the first FIE World Cup of the fall season in mid-October in Oran, Algeria, the Hungarian women\u2019s saber national team, including Anna Spiesz and Ren\u00e1ta Katona, also won a gold medal.<\/em><\/p>\n

R\u00f3bert Tasn\u00e1di
\nTranslation: Dr. Bal\u00e1zs Csizmadia
\nPhotos by Bogl\u00e1rka Zellei \u2013 Semmelweis University<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ren\u00e1ta Katona and Anna Spiesz are preparing for both their exams and Olympic qualification.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":102369,"featured_media":49855,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,286],"tags":[40,380],"class_list":["post-49843","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-x-nyitolap","tag-sports","tag-talent"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49843","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/102369"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49843"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49843\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":49859,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49843\/revisions\/49859"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/49855"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49843"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49843"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/semmelweis.hu\/english\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49843"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}