The Olympians and Paralympians of Pécs, who returned home from Paris, were welcomed in a festive ceremony on 11 September in the Assembly Hall of the Pécs City Hall.
Athletes from Pécs, including several from the University of Pécs, took part in this year's 33rd Summer Olympic Games, which took place between 26 July and 11 August, and the 17th Paralympic Games, which were held in Paris between 28 August and 8 September.
It is a special joy and pride for the city and the University of Pécs that the most successful athlete of the Hungarian Paralympic team is Zsófia Konkoly, a para-swimmer, student of the UP Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.
Pécs also became the most successful team of the Hungarian Paralympic delegation, as PSN also came first, although with a split ranking. In addition, Bence Mocsári achieved his best ever result among both intact and Paralympic athletes, placing fifth in the paratriathlon.
Pictured: Alexandra Szabó receives her certificate of honour
“I would like to thank you for representing our city in a more than worthy manner at the Games. We know very well that during the preparations they needed resignation, humility, superhuman determination and perseverance", said Attila Péterffy, Mayor of Pécs, in his welcome speech, also expressed his appreciation and stressed that he was proud of the professionals behind the athletes' achievements and their coordinated work.
The city council awarded a Pro Civitate medal to Zsófia Konkoly,
the most successful athlete of the Hungarian Paralympic team, who won the bronze medal in the 100m butterfly at the Rio Paralympics at the age of 14 and returned home from this year's XVII Summer Paralympic Games with two gold and one silver medal. The student of the Bachelor of Social Work at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has been a member of the elite parasport club for a decade.
They received a certificate of honour from the Mayor of Pécs for their achievements at the Paris Olympics:
Bence Bicsák triathlete (UP Faculty of Business and Economics)
Hotz Csenge para-swimmer
Bence Iván Para Swimmer (UP Faculty of Sciences)
Ádám Jászó swimmer
Bence Mocsári paratriathlete
Alexandra Szabó boccia player (UP Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences)
The coaches who coached the athletes, such as Iván Árpád Jancsik, Péter Karsai, Zoltán Szappanos, Máté Turós and Szilárd Tóth, also received certificates of merit.
