Debrecen4U September 10, 2025

The International Children’s Athletics Festival will be held in Debrecen again this year

This year, the International Children’s Athletics Festival will be held in Debrecen, in memory of the outstanding Debrecen athlete Gyula Kovács, who tragically passed away 14 years ago.

Gyula Kovács was born on August 7, 1958, in Debrecen. In the early 1970s, he began his athletic career at the Debrecen sports school under the guidance of László Vojta. The slim, extremely modest little athlete quickly developed into an outstanding galloping athlete. In addition to his talent, his extraordinary diligence and perseverance stood out, and he was able to stand on the podium several times in the 100- and 200-meter races, individually and in relays, at age group and adult championships. After his career ended, as athletics was his life, he continued to work as a coach in his beloved sport.

In the 1990s, he and his wife launched the International Children’s Athletics Festival. Unfortunately, in the summer of 2011, he was swept away by death while running at a senior competition in Germany, although a few minutes before that he had been smiling cheerfully among his students.

Thanks to his sports colleagues and friends, including Irén Benéné Lipcsei and Tibor Nagy, as well as the Debrecen Sportcentrum Nonprofit Kft. and the Hajdú-Bihar County and Debrecen City Athletics Association, the children’s competition has not been forgotten, and this competition is now called the Gyula Kovács International Children’s Athletics Memorial Competition.

The International Children’s Athletics Festival will be held again on September 27 at the Gyulai István Athletics Stadium.

This year, the U12 age group will compete in the 50- and 1000-meter flat running, long jump, soft ball throwing, shot put and 4×50 meter relay.

The organizers’ goal is to promote the sport among children as part of the Kids Athletics Program, in addition to providing the opportunity to compete.

Source and photo credit:dehir.hu