In a spectacular display of skill, the Hungarian women’s kayak four secured an unexpected bronze medal in the 500-metre event at the Paris Olympics.

The team, consisting of Noémi Pupp, Sára Fojt, Tamara Csipes, and Alida Dóra Gazsó, earned their place directly in Thursday’s final by finishing second in their heat on Tuesday. Hungary was the defending champion in this event, but only Tamara Csipes remained from the team that competed three years ago, with the other three members making their Olympic debut. Despite being a relatively new team, they had already claimed the European Championship title in Szeged in June, though the competition there was less intense.

In Tokyo, Hungary had finished first, with Belarus taking second place; however, Belarus was not in the field this time. The Polish team, which had finished third in Tokyo, had made two changes to its lineup. Meanwhile, New Zealand, who had narrowly missed the podium three years ago, entered as the reigning world champions and were the favourites for gold, led by five-time Olympic champion Lisa Carrington. The competition also included the strong Spanish team, who had finished third at last year’s World Championships, and the consistently formidable German team.

The Hungarian team had a modest start, placing fifth in the first half of the race. However, by the halfway point they had moved up to third, a position they fiercely defended until the end. Their unexpected success was evident in the jubilant celebration that followed their finish. The New Zealand and German teams took the top two spots.

This bronze medal marked the ninth medal—and third bronze—for the Hungarian delegation at the Paris Olympics.

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