Interviews with Anna Márton and Krisztián Rabb

Here are some interviews by Ádam Urbán, a Hungarian journalist and ex-fencer. For context there has been some controversy in the Olympic selections in Hungary.

In the women's sabre Luca Szűcs qualified first as she was top of the internal Hungarian ranking. Pusztai qualified as the second highest in the ranking. The controversy surrounds the selection for the 3rd and fourth places. For the third place head coach Gábor Gárdos picked his student Anna Márton, with Sugár Katinka Battai picked as the reserve for the team event. This is controversial since Battai is ranked ahead of Márton in both the Hungarian and FIE rankings. There is also concern over Márton's injury status, having had recurring knee problems since the last Olympics.

In the men's sabre the controversy centres around the selection of Krisztián Rabb over Tamás Decsi. The former head coach and brother of Tamás, András Decsi, reisgned over this issue.

Additionally Szatmári was unable to fence at the European Championships due to an ankle injury, but is due to be fit again in time for Paris.

Here are the interviews, translated by Ádam Urbán:

Ádam Urbán:

You are very routine in relation to the Olympic oath, as you participated in this event for the third time. What is extra special about this day for you?

Anna Márton:

The extra special thing is that I was here with my favorite team. And we inaugurated Luca Szűcs as a rookie, so it's a very pleasant event that I'm here with a team that's very dear to me. By the way, I was obviously not as nervous as I was the first time, now I can enjoy this event more because I don't get carried away by the excitement.

AU:

You mentioned the team, but you will also compete in the individual competition at the Paris Olympics. I would like to know what goals you have set for yourself in the individual event?

AM:

Well, I want to improve my result in Tokyo, if I succeed, it means a medal. I am very confident that this will succeed. I feel in good shape, but now the focus is on the team, and I want to perform very, very well there. I hope I can warm up for the team with a medal in the individual competition.

AU:

Do you feel physically 100 percent? You finally put a period full of injuries behind you, are you preparing for the Olympics in 100 percent condition?

AM:

Yes, I feel that I am 100 percent physically. I feel that I have to spend the next few weeks fine-tuning and recharging, because the last period has taken a lot out of me. We had very serious fitness training, and we also put a lot into fencing. So I feel that now comes the charging and mental preparation.

AU:

You prepared together with the girls, let's talk about the team result now. As a two-time world champion, can only gold be acceptable?

AM:

Anyway, yes, it sounds like the bar is very high as a two-time world champion, but I don't feel like it's a burden on this team. We are still very young, in fact they always call us the surprise team. At the Olympics, this is an advantage from the point of view that we do not feel that there is such a huge burden on us, we want to fight freely. And for the third time in a row, we want to bring home the brightest medal.

AU:

And can the Hungarian-French final meet for the third time in a row? You can only meet in the final or the bronze match.

AM:

 Yes. Well, we fought during the qualification to get easier opponents. But at an Olympics, you obviously have to pay close attention to every opponent from the very first minute. I see a chance for a Hungarian-French final. I think the French are really preparing against us, after two painful defeats. But we are also prepared and have new things in store.

Ádam Urbán:

Krisztián, I don't know if you would have thought a few weeks ago that you would be here at the olympic oath ceremony of Team Hungary. After all, this is how it turned out, here you are. What is going on inside you right now?

Krisztián Rabb:

 It was a great happiness that I managed to get into the team, I really wanted this. This has settled down a bit in me, and now I'm just preparing for the competition with all my might.

AU:

What was it that you think you finally convinced the chief of the national team with? I'm thinking here of the semi-final of the national championship (defeated Szilágyi) or the round of eight of the World Cup. What was the point when Krisztián Rabb felt that he really has a place in this team?

KR:

 I think that I was able to perform very well throughout the year and my form was constantly improving. This came out well at the European Championships (team gold medal, at that time he replaced the injured Szatmári), I was able to perform well in the team competition. And I hope it continues to peak.

AU:

You have not just fallen into joint work with the senior national team, as you have already participated in training camps, national team training sessions, and World Cups in recent years. How has the trainings changed in recent weeks, you are working with a new pair of head coaches in the person of Gergő Sárközi and József Navarette - they took over the team from András Decsi

(he resigned after the board and the chief of the national team named Rabb, not his brother Tamás, to the Olympic team) 

KR:

It's different for me in that now I'm training for a very valuable and big goal, and I'm much more focused and I work much more planned.

AU:

You must have had many conversations with the team by now, have you sat down to discuss what your goal is in Paris? Is only the gold medal acceptable? Did Áron Szilágyi issue the order to win the last missing medal?

KR:

No, we haven't talked about that yet. At the same time, I think this is self-evident and we all know that this is the goal.

AU:

You were there in London in 2012, as a child you supported Áron Szilágyi on the spot. And now you have been included in a successful team of a successful Hungarian sport, which in the past decades, but now we can say that Hungarian people have had the most success in 100 years. When you think about this, what comes to mind?

KR:

It is a special feeling to become a member of this great team. I am fighting with all my strength to stand well and it is a big goal for me to reach the biggest title.

AU:

Gold medal?

KR:

 Yes.

The full interviews in Hungarian can be seen here:

https://m4sport.hu/cikk/2024/07/08/gyulay-zsolt-realis-a-het-aranyerem/

Once again thank you to Ádam Urbán for performing the interviews and providing me the translation.