All in the family for Hungarian athletics couple

Despite being 13 796 kilometres away from their home city of Budapest, the Hungarian athletics couple, Attila Zsivoczky and Györgyi Zsivoczky-Farkas have taken to Potchefstroom like ducks to water.
Attila is a former professional decathlete and one of Hungary’s most celebrated athletes, having been named the Hungarian track and field athlete of the year in 2005 and 2006. He is now currently coaching his wife in heptathlon and this combination has intertwined towards great results. These two initially met on the athletics track at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games and, soon after, their love for the sport translated into a love for each other.
‘At first, we were only a couple in our private life but then Attila started coaching me after the 2012 Olympic Games. At the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, I came in eighth and also achieved my personal record, which I was very proud of,’ said Györgyi, who has returned to Potch for the sixth time for her pre-season training.
According to Györgyi, it seems natural for them to be working together professionally and this does not affect their relationship on a personal level. ‘With my body, it is hard to adjust to a group of athletes and personal training with Attila works better for me personally,’ she added.
She is also confident that she will perform well at the World Indoor Championships and European Championships and her main goal is to qualify for both these events.

Furthermore, Attila was born into a proud athletics family with his dad and mother competing at various Olympic Games. His father, Gyula, is a 1968 Olympic Games gold medalist in the hammer throw, after bagging two silver medals in 1960 and 1964 respectively. It is no wonder that this second-generation star soon followed in his parents’ footsteps.
‘I started track and field at the age of 9 and I am still doing it at the age of 40. It was just love at first sight for me,’ he said.
He started with high jump and then shifted his attention to decathlon which turned out to be a great career move as success soon followed him on the athletics track.
‘I came to SA in 1996 as part of the Hungarian Decathlon team and I have come here each year since 2009. The facilities have improved a lot and every time we come there are little things that make it easier for us. That is why we return each year.’
His wife wholeheartedly agrees and says, having been to various training camps across the globe, she would choose Potchefstroom first.
‘Everything is in one place here, the weather is great, the people are friendly and there are no time zone changes. Being at altitude also helps heptathlete and decathletes gain that extra edge.’