Female Athlete of the Year: Luana Márton - pictured above

19-year-old Luana Márton, a rising taekwondo star, was named Female Athlete of the Year. She claimed gold in the women’s welterweight division (140–147 pounds / 63.5–66.7 kg) at the 2025 World Taekwondo Championships in Wuxi, China — her second world championship title after previously winning gold in Baku in 2023 in the 125-pound (57 kg) category.

Her twin sister, Viviana Márton, is also a decorated taekwondo athlete, having won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics and silver at this year’s Wuxi World Championships. Viviana was among the contenders for the Female Athlete of the Year award, but the honour ultimately went to Luana.

Speaking to the audience after receiving the award, Luana expressed her gratitude:

"It feels really great to stand here at home, in Hungary, among extraordinary athletes. I am very proud to be among the top three nominees along with my sister and my coach. My parents are the most important people in my life; I could not have done it without them."

Male Athlete of the Year: Hubert Kós

In the men’s category, swimmer Hubert Kós was named Male Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. After winning gold in the 200-metre backstroke at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Kós repeated his triumph at the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, edging out footballer Dominik Szoboszlai for the top honour.

Training in the United States, Kós could not attend the gala in person, but he addressed the audience via live video through his mother, who accepted the award on his behalf:

"It is incredible to be chosen Male Athlete of the Year again. I want to keep working not just for my own sake, but for all Hungarians. I want to give them joy and precious moments like the old greats gave to me."

Team of the Year: Ferencváros Men’s Water Polo

The Ferencváros (FTC-Telekom) men’s water polo team earned the Team of the Year award, capping a triumphant 2025 season in which they completed the treble: winning the Hungarian Championship, the Hungarian Cup, and the European Aquatics Champions League.

A Star-Studded Audience

The gala attracted distinguished international and national guests, including Olympic gold medallist and former world-record pole vaulter Sergey Bubka (Ukraine), former Algerian footballer Rabah Madjer, former Belgian goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, and Hungarian astronaut Tibor Kapu. Hungary’s President Tamás Sulyok also attended.

The winners were determined by a vote of the Hungarian Sports Journalists’ Association (MSÚSZ), reflecting a broad consensus among the country’s sports media professionals.

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