by Larry Eder
Welcome to the World Champs 2023 Preview, Day 15, Meeting the Stars of Hungarian Athletics!
For the next 30 days, RunBlogRun will be posting a story a day on the buildup to the World Athletics Outdoor Championships, to be held in Budapest, Hungary, from August 19-August 27, 2023.
The tradition of a host country winning medals in athletics could be tough for Hungary, but they have a very good chance! Their best chances will be in the throws (shot and hammer throw), multi-events, and perhaps the hurdles.
Hungary has won 10 golds, 12 silver, and 18 bronze medals in the modern Olympic Games since 1896.
Krisztián Pars has competed internationally since 1998, when he won the World Youth Championships, in Bydgoszcz, Poland, with a throw of 74.76m.
The Hungarian thrower, competing in an event that is a heritage in Hungary, won the European U23 in 2003 with a throw of 77.25m.
In Athens, Krisztián Pars came oh so close, taking 4th in the 2004 Olympic final in the hammer throw.
The hammer throw is terribly competitive, and Krisztián Pars continued to push himself, taking 5th in Helsinki in 2005 in the World Championships.
In 2006, Krisztián Pars was sixth in the European Champs in Goteborg, Sweden. The hammer throw may be tougher in the European Champs than anywhere else.
In 2007, Krisztián Pars continued to push himself, taking fifth in Osaka, Japan, during the World Champs.
How does an athlete motivate himself when you are throwing against the proverbial brick wall.
Krisztián Pars would not give up. In Beijing 2008, Pars took 4h in 80.96m and followed up in 2009 Berlin WC with a 4th once again.
It was in 2010, in Barcelona, Spain, that Krisztián Pars picked up his first medal, a bronze, in five years!
In Daegu, Korea, throwing 81.88m, Krisztián Pars took the silver!
2012 was a dream come true! In the European Champs in Helsinki, Krisztián Pars took the gold and followed up with gold at the London 2023 Olympic games with a throw of 80.59 meters.
Moscow 2013 saw silver in the World Champs for the Hungarian with a throw of 80.30 meters.
In Zurich 2014, the Hungarian star, the European Champs, medaled in the gold position again, with a monstrous PB of 82.69m.
Beijing 2015 was tough, as his 4th place surprised many. In Rio de Janeiro, he finished 7th.
London 2017 was another tough go, as his throw of 74.08m saw him in 14th. A doping ban in 2018, after a poor decision at a party, saw Pars out for a year. Pars admitted his indiscretion and was allowed to compete again in July 2019.
Doha 2019 was not better, as Krisztián Pars threw 73.05m for 22nd.
The European Champs in Munich 2022 saw no mark.
Krisztián Pars will be 40 this year; he wants to go out in style in front of his countrypeople in the National Stadium.
Can Krisztián Pars bring back some of his former fitness for Budapest? Do not underestimate this veteran hammer thrower in his home country!
He also has a young countryman who is taking up the hammer mantle.
Bence Halász is one tough hammer thrower. In Munich 2022, Bence took the silver hammer medal, upgrading his bronze medal from the European Champs in Berlin 2018. In Doha 2019, Bence took the hammer bronze.
In Budapest, the first weekend of the championships, will Hungary have two hammer throwers battling for medals in the final?
Stay tuned.
To read all of our earlier stories in Witness the Wonder, numbers 1-14:
1. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 1; Welcome to the World Champs! https://runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-1-welcome-to-the-world-champs.html
2. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 2, Meeting the Stars of Hungarian Athletics! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-2-meeting-the-stars-of-hungarian-athletics.html
3. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 3, Why you should go to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3.html
4. Witness the Wonder, World Outdoor Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 4, Mondo Duplantis & Nafi Thiam are Europe’s finest; how will they do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-outdoor-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-3-mondo-duplantis-nafi-thiam-are-europes-finest-how-will-they-do-in-budapest.html
5. Witness the Wonder, World Championships Budapest 2023, Day 5, Just What Will Faith Kipyegon Do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-championships-budapest-2023-day-5-just-what-will-faith-kipyegon-do-in-budapest.html
6. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 6, Mutaz Essa Barshim. Will he take a 4th straight title in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-mutaz-essa-barshim-will-he-take-a-4th-straight-title-in-budapest.html
7. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Champs Budapest 2023, Day 7, Noah Lyles wants to burn up the track in Budapest in August! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-champs-budapest-2023-noah-lyles-wants-to-burn-up-the-track-in-budapest-in-august.html
8. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 8, all About the National Athletics Center https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-8-all-about-the-national-athletics-center.html
9. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 9: Meet Anita Marton, Hungarian star shot putter with deadly last-round throws! What will she do in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-9-meet-anita-marton-hungarian-star-shot-putter-who-has-deadly-last-round-throws-what-will-she-do-in-budapest.html
10. Witness the Wonder, 2023 World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Day 10: Karsten Warhold is back, what will he do in Budapest over the 400-meter hurdles? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-2023-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-day-10-karsten-warhold-is-back-what-will-he-do-in-budapest-over-the-400-meter-hurdles.html
11. Witness the Wonder World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 11; Wayde Van Niekerk is coming to Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-11-wayde-van-niekerk-wr-holder-olympic-champions-two-time-world-champion-at-400-meters-has-returned-and-he-wants-to-run-a-sizz.html
12. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 12, Neeraj Chopra, India’s Javelin star, will he move up to gold in Budapest? https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-neeraj-chopra-indias-javelin-star-will-he-move-up-to-gold-in-budapest.html,
13. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023, Day 13: Ryan Crouser overcomes a rainy day at the Drake Relays! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/04/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-championships-budapest-2023-day-13-ryan-crouser-overcomes-a-rainy-day-at-the-drake-relays.html
14. Witness the Wonder, World Athletics Outdoor Championships, Budapest, Day 14: Five Reasons to go to the World Championships in Budapest! https://www.runblogrun.com/2023/05/witness-the-wonder-world-athletics-outdoor-championships-budapest-day-14-five-reasons-to-go-to-the-world-championships-in-budapest.html
The World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, will be held August 19-27, 2023, and tickets are available now! Click here to learn more about ticket sales: https://tickets.wabudapest23.com/
RunBlogRun suggests a wonderful book on Hungary, The Hungarians, A Thousand Years of Victory in Defeat, by Paul Lendvai, Translated by Ann Major, Princeton University Press, www.pupress.princeton.edu.
Need tips for Visiting Budapest and the rest of Hungary? Please go here! Visit Hungary-Wellspring of Wonders! https://visithungary.com/
