The Hungarian men’s table tennis team is preparing together for two weeks now which is especially rejoicing in the light of what we know about foreign players who could even not leave their apartment for two months.
Since the outbreak of the epidemic most athletes have missed the competitions and matches the most but there is also a good side to the current situation.
“During the season we have so many competitions and travelling that we do not have time for longer trainings ” said Bence MAJOROS about their “virus-free” life during the break of a training in the Ormai Hall. “The positive side of the current situation is that we do not have to travel from competition to competition the atmosphere is much calmer and we really just need to focus on how to become even better and develop as players.”
MAJOROS spent most of the time during the isolation at home on the table tennis court in Nyírbátor together with Ádám SZUDI in a kind of two-person training camp.
We asked did he gain a few pounds thanks to the home-cooked food: “In fact I lost weight! What was weird is that I got to spend two months in Nyírbátor. I think it was more than I managed during the last five years combined. I did not sleep at home but in the table tennis hall but it still felt good.”
Nándor ECSEKI also spent the most difficult weeks in his hometown.
“I was able to prepare in Szolnok with István Patrik MOLNÁR and we got a serving machine from the Hungarian Table Tennis Association. I took great advantage of it at home” said the left-handed player who we also asked about how he maintains motivation. “This is our life we come down to the court every day to be better and better. It is one thing that we cannot compete for a few months but I think this does not make our motivation to diminish as long as we keep eyes on our goals which is to be the best players which later we can show to the world when the tournaments restart.”
Compared to the others perhaps Tamás LAKATOS found himself in the most difficult situation he is also hindered by a knee injury but he has also had the opportunity to play in the recent months.
“I went to Denmark on March 6th and I was still able to train until the first half of April after that almost everyone went back home. There was only one French guy left but he also came back from an injury and therefore did not want to play too much and there were other difficulties due to the situation caused by the pandemic. All in all I do not think I was that much unlucky as others did not have such opportunities either” recounted Tamás LAKATOS who will join the French Amiens STT next season but will move to Porto with Nándor ECSEKI to develop at the training centre there.
Three younger players Csaba ANDRÁS Olivér BOTH and Patrik JUHÁSZ also train with the senior national team.
“I was lucky because we have a table tennis table at home I could play with my brother; I could practice the serves but it was still a very difficult time. I am glad to be able to practice with the national team again” Olivér BOTH reported about the last few weeks.
Csaba ANDRÁS was also longing for being back on the court: “I got used to staying here every day and to the continuous trainings. I fell out of the rhythm and I just could not stand being at home.”
A new but by no means unknown head coach is holding the training sessions for the boys.
“We kept in touch with Peti MUSKÓ when we were still in Nyírbátor so he has been part of our trainings beforehand and we have also known him for a long time” commented Ádám SZUDI. “As the assistant coach of the women’s national team he helped us in some competitions so we already had connection with him we knew what to expect. So far everything is fine.”
The new captain can count on the help of his predecessor Péter ARANYOSI and on the expertise and experience of Dániel ZWICKL who acts as the manager of the national team in his spare time.
“He can help a lot from providing background information in terms of in which team the players will play next season what training camp they will be preparing and on other organizational issues as well. And Peti ARANYOSI will remain bound to the HTTA and he will be able to deal with the players not only at this time but also when the competition season starts and I have to be on the road a lot” clarified Péter MUSKÓ.
So far the members of the Hungarian national team have survived the virus situation relatively fit and fortunate but this cannot be said of several of their foreign “colleagues”.
“We have snatches of news about the international field” the captain continued. “There is a training centre where four people have been admitted but no more. There are places where the two players have to play in a mask but we also know of someone who has been locked in a fifty-square-foot apartment for two months now and cannot even hold a racket in the hand. So it can definitely be to our advantage that we can prepare together in such circumstances.”
