The Hungarian Canoe Federation has named London 2012 silver medallist David Toth as its kayak sprint coach for the next Olympic cycle.
Toth is a multiple world medallist and has also stood on the podium at the European level.
This is the first time Hungary will have two separate coaches for Canoe Sprint.
Toth beat competition from Zoltan Bako, Rudolf Dombi, Csaba Makrai, Simon Miklos, Gabor Szabo, and Gabriella Szabo to be named coach.
The Sports Development and Competitive Sports Committee of the Hungarian Canoe Federation, led by Edvin Csabai, listened to the applicants and recommended Toth, three-time Olympic champion Gabriella Szabo and former coach of the Danish kayak-canoe team and Olympic bronze medalist Zoltan Bako for the position.
A secret ballot saw Toth emerge victorious in the three-way battle with eight votes.
“I feel enormous happiness and gratitude that the Presidency voted for me,” Toth was quoted as saying by the Hungarian Canoe Federation.
“Big tasks await me, but I believe that with my knowledge I can also contribute to the success of the kayak discipline.
“I finished my career in 2019 and have been working in the Hungarian Kayak-Canoe Association since 2021.
“Over the past years, I got to know the operation of the federation, the competition system and gained useful experience as a team leader at world competitions.
“Thank you once again for the trust, and I'm looking forward to working together with the coaches and competitors.”
Csaba Huttner, Laszlo Foltan Jr. and Attila Vajda were the candidates for the position of canoe coach, however, no decision was made on that front.
“David Toth has demonstrated with his work in the association in recent years that he can be more suitable for larger and more responsible tasks,” Hungarian Canoe Federation President Gabor Schmidt said.
“He was an excellent kayaker with very good technical skills, who was a real team player, his peers could always count on him.
“I think this predestines him to build a good and successful team in both women's and men's kayaking.
“For this, I wish him very good health!”
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Pictures by Hungarian Canoe Federation and Canoe Photography.
