The Gyulai István Memorial returns to Budapest with superstars
The organisers of the Gyulai István Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix have announced that a several prominent stars will attend this one-day competition taking place in Budapest on 12th of August this year. The competition, which is part of the World Athletics (WA) Continental Tour Gold meetings, is one of the best and highest-quality one-day events in the world. The region’s most prominent athletics competition returns to Budapest after eleven years, and the event will be hosted by the National Athletics Centre. There will be no shortage of big shots. This year, among others, competitors include the best current track and field athlete in the world, pole vaulter Armand Duplantis, Olympic gold medallist and world champion Femke Bolt, who dominates the 400 metres hurdles in Europe, Ethan Katzberg the youngest world champion in hammer throw, as well as two-time Olympic champion in long jump, Miltiadis Tentoglou. Real superstars will take to the field at the National Athletics Centre. Ticket sales for the event will start on 7 April 2025.
The Gyulai István Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix is a celebration of athletics, organised this year by the National Event Management Agency in cooperation with the Hungarian Athletics Association. Year after year, the competition is said to be one of the best one-day competitions in the world, to which Hungarian athletics also owes much. And the legend continues in 2025.
Miklós Gyulai, President of the Hungarian Athletics Association, praised the work of the organisers and said: “Thank you for this worthy commemoration of my father, which is now organised for the fifteenth time. The event is of particular value to Hungarian athletics; we are proud that the world’s top athletes compete with the stars of Hungarian athletics in this wonderful facility.”
It’s fair to say that Hungary’s most prestigious international athletics competition is a true success story. Year after year, competitors include the currently greatest, world-class athletes of this sport, who have already made this sporting event very special with countless memorable moments throughout its fifteen-year history. For example, a 100-meter run was completed under 10 seconds for the first time in Hungary at the Memorial. The Gyulai István Memorial is now a “must-go” event in the competition calendar, which has become very prestigious and a strong and attractive brand in athletics. It is also important to emphasise that the meet continued to be organised during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefore, one might say that the Gyulai István Memorial symbolises permanence under all circumstances.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee, Péter Deutsch, highlighted the importance of the Grand Prix, which had played an important role in the successful organisation of the 2023 World Championships hosted in Hungary. “We are grateful to the city of Székesfehérvár for the attentive hospitality we have experienced over the past decade. Thank you. It’s a fantastic feeling to arrive to the National Athletics Centre, where our beloved sport, athletics, can once again show why it’s worth choosing it.”
The competition program promises truly exciting and spectacular battles. Nineteen international events will be held at the National Athletics Centre, as follows:
Men: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 3000 m, 110 m hurdles, high jump, long jump, pole vault, hammer throw, shot put
Women: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 1500 m, 100 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles, long jump, pole vault
Attila Spiriev, the event’s sports director, announced the list of those who have already accepted the invitation and will be competing on the 12th of August.
In pole vault, the current best athlete in the world, the leader of WA’s overall world ranking, and the “face” of this sport, Armand Duplantis, participated for the first time in the competition in 2022. Back then, he came, saw, and conquered. We can see the Swedish phenom compete again this year. The track record of this top athlete, who holds a world record in pole vaulting with a jump of 6.27 meters, is unparalleled. He has basically won everything there is to win: two-time Olympic gold medallist, two-time world champion, three-time indoor world champion; also, he has won the European Championships three times and the indoor Continental Championships once.
The most popular figure in the sport will have an opponent: Emmanouil Karalis. The Greek talent became the European indoor champion this year, and he has already won an Olympic bronze medal, a silver and a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships, as well as a silver medal at the European Championships, both outdoor and indoor.
Last year, the pride of Canada, hammer thrower Ethan Katzberg, entered the throwing circle for the first time at the Grand Prix, and achieved his first success at the Memorial with a landslide victory. His triumph at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest caused a huge surprise, and he also made history by becoming the first Canadian hammer thrower to throw over 80 meters. In addition, he became the youngest world champion of this event. His personal best of 84.38 metres, achieved in 2024, broke the 2005 world record. As a strong candidate for the podium, he also won the Paris Olympics.
So far, the brightest star of Dutch athletics, Olympic relay champion, two-time world champion, two-time indoor world champion, five-time European champion, six-time indoor continental champion, world record holder and European record holder, Femke Bol, has already triumphed twice at the Gyulai Memorial. The European athlete, who dominates 400-meter hurdles, is aiming for victory again this year.
The Greek icon, long jumper Miltiadis Tentoglou, is now a returning guest at the competition. The crowned king of the event has participated in the competition twice so far and won on both occasions. In addition to the Olympic Games, the two-time Olympic gold medallist has won the World Championship in Budapest, but he can also call himself a two-time indoor world champion and a three-time European champion, both outdoor and indoor.
The record holder in 400 meters, gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics, world champion, six-time Gyulai Memorial winner from the Bahamas, Steven Gardiner, will return this year.
In addition to the foreign world stars, it is important to mention the Hungarian competitors: the greatest stars of Hungarian athletics will not be missing from this year’s competition.
Ethan Katzgerg’s biggest opponent, Bence Halász, silver medallist at the Paris Olympics, two-time world championship bronze medallist and two-time European championship silver medallist, will enter the throwing circle.
Attila Molnár, this year’s European Indoor Champion, fourth and fifth place finisher at the World Indoor Championships, and multiple Hungarian record holder who won the bronze medal at the World Indoor Championships in the 4×400 metre relay, would make things harder for the record holder in the 400-metre race.
In the 100-meter hurdles, we can cheer on Luca Kozák, European silver medallist, eighth place finisher at the World Indoor Championships, and national record holder who was awarded the 2022 Female Athlete of the Year title.Boglárka Takács, two-time U23 European Championship silver medallist, seventh place finisher at the European Indoor Championships, Olympic and World Championship semi-finalist, and multiple Hungarian record-holder sprinter, is expected to rival the world’s fastest athletes in the 100-metre event. Ticket sales for the Gyulai István Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix will start on 7 April 2025.Tickets will be available on the website of Eventim.
