The 1st Hungarian Nordic Walking Championship was held on May 10, 2025 (Saturday) in Debrecen, organized by the Nordic Walking Debrecen Sports Association. The event drew hundreds of participants from all across the country.
The attendees were welcomed by Diána Széles, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen; Marianna Kovács Lászlóné, Managing Director of the University of Debrecen Athletics Club Sports Nonprofit Ltd. (as representatives of the event’s main supporters); and Judit Kőrösi, President, Head Coach, visionary, and chief organizer of the Nordic Walking Debrecen Sports Association.
Diána Széles emphasized that this day was a milestone for the Nordic walking community, as such an event had never been held in Hungary before. She credited Judit Kőrösi – the driving force behind Debrecen’s Nordic walking movement – for making it a reality. One result of her dedicated work is that students at the University of Debrecen can now take part in Nordic walking as part of their physical education curriculum. The sport has clearly found fertile ground in Debrecen, where early morning groups are regularly seen walking 8–10 kilometers in the city’s Big Forest (Nagyerdő).
Széles described Nordic walking as a sport suitable for all ages, one that promotes physical health, a connection with nature, and social bonding – even though it’s not a team sport in the traditional sense. She also mentioned the “Move, Debrecen!” initiative launched in autumn 2021 as an example of the city’s broader health and wellness efforts.
Széles added that the Debrecen Nordic walkers are a great example of how a small group that starts by “just taking walks” can evolve into a strong community capable of organizing a national championship. They represent one of many energetic, joyful, and health-focused communities in Debrecen, and the “Move, Debrecen!” initiative aims to support and spotlight such groups.
Marianna Kovács Lászlóné also highlighted that the city of Debrecen, the University of Debrecen, and DEAC (its athletics club) can rightfully be proud of this first national Nordic walking championship, especially with university athletes among the participants. She wished all attendees a fulfilling day of activity, nature, and community-building that serves both the city and national sports development programs.
In her opening speech, Judit Kőrösi underlined that organizing this championship was a team effort, and she invited her colleagues Dr. Eszter Faragó Pongráczné, Kata Buglyó, and Ildikó Kathiné Fazekas to join her on stage to acknowledge their dedication. Kőrösi expressed that while dreams can be hers, they only become reality with the support of a committed team — and this team supported her night and day.
She also recognized Csilla Molnár, who traveled the farthest from Sopron, and Szilvia Szép, who came from Italy to participate and spoke about Nordic workout, a variation of the sport performed to music.
Kőrösi described the championship as historic, both because it was the first of its kind in Hungary and because it represented the collective spirit of everyone involved. She emphasized that the event was more than a competition — it was a celebration of movement, health consciousness, love for nature, and shared passion. She expressed pride in how the community was coming together to write the history of Nordic walking in Hungary.
The event’s special guest was Krzysztof Człapski, multiple-time Polish Nordic walking champion, World and European Championship medalist, and current top-ranked competitor in the Polish and World Cup circuits. He led warm-up sessions for participants and also competed in the race.
(debrecen.hu)
