01. 01. 2020
In the large Slovak delegation to the European Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, there were also two names of freestyle wrestlers with club affiliation to ZK Košice 1904 - Dan Pálinkás and Marián Hutňan. Given the position of Košice wrestlers on the Slovak mats, this is a bit low, but only they met the nomination criteria by winning the title at last year's national championships.
KOŠICE. The president of ZK Košice 1904, Ján Tokár, was full of optimism before leaving for Belgrade, believing in a top-ten finish in both cases, but both Dan Pálinkás in the 74-kg category and Marián Hutňan in the 120-kg category packed their bags after their first duel in the "Beogradska Arena".
Pálinkás lost in the round of sixteen to the German of Turkish origin, Aydin Ergün, 1:5, and Hutňan, who competed in the round of eight, lost to the Spaniard José Cuba Vazquez 0:5 on technical points. "Dano didn't wrestle badly, but his defeat was decided by one technical action from which the German countered. Our coach filed a protest, which was unsuccessful, meaning Dano's defeat. What can I say? He wrestled as he wrestled, simply, he lost, that's all," was not very enthusiastic about Pálinkás's performance on the European stage his club coach Miroslav Jedlička.
He watched his charges from a distance via the internet, as he had duties at home with the Greco-Roman cadets competing in the Slovak championships.
"Majo Hutňan in the 120-kg category paid for his health condition. He wrestled with composure against the Spaniard, winning the first period sovereignly 2:0, but then his knee gave out during one attack and he did not finish the match due to injury. It looks like surgery will be necessary because he has a damaged cruciate ligament in his knee, maybe also the meniscus. The doctors will decide on that today," it would be a noticeable loss for the club and the national team for some time.
EVEN HARDER THAN BEFORE
While the Slovak freestyle wrestlers did not make a big splash in the world, or rather Europe, in Belgrade, they caused a big surprise in the Greco-Roman style.
Specifically, István Levai, a native of Dorog, Hungary, who has had Slovak citizenship since 2011 and wrestles for VŠC Dukla Banská Bystrica. He brought home gold from Belgrade in the 60-kg weight category.
"He pleasantly surprised me too," says Košice coach Jedlička. "As his coach said, only hard work bears fruit, and of course, you need a little luck for such success. The same applies to our wrestlers, so we will work even harder than before..."
COUNTING ON FOUR
Hard work could also bring success in the Olympic qualification, which is still ahead for the wrestlers. "The first qualification tournament for London was last year's World Championships in Istanbul, from where the top five wrestlers advanced. This year, the first tournament for Europeans is scheduled in two weeks in Sofia, from where the top two will advance. Then there will be a worldwide qualification in China, where the top three in each weight category will earn an Olympic spot. Naturally, this will be without the wrestlers who have already secured their participation in the Olympics. The same will be true in the second half of May in Helsinki, from where another two wrestlers from each category will advance. National coach Kertanti is counting on us to fight for the Olympic nomination until the last moment, so he will take everything he has at his disposal to those tournaments. From our club, Jakub Kačeňák in the 66-kg category should also get a chance, if the coach gives him preference over Obžera, and probably also Dano Dancák in the 84-kg category. We will see what condition Majo Hutňan is in, what the doctors say," Miroslav Jedlička enumerates Košice's hopes.
Korzár, Tuesday, March 13, 2012, Bohuš Matia