Hungary celebrates International Biathlon Day in Budapest as part of the prestigious Great Sport Selection Event

This year, Hungary celebrated International Biathlon Day in Budapest as part of the prestigious Great Sport Selection Event (Nagy Sportágválasztó), held on 28–29 May 2026 at the Merkapt-Mekler Sports Centre.

The event proved to be an outstanding success and generated unprecedented interest in biathlon. At least 500 visitors per day tried biathlon shooting at the B4A shooting range between 9:00 and 17:00, resulting in approximately 1,000 participants over the two days.

Beyond promoting our sport, the event also served as a valuable team-building opportunity for the Hungarian biathlon community. On Friday, the venue welcomed school groups, while Saturday was dedicated mainly to families and recreational visitors. The weather was excellent throughout the event, creating ideal conditions for outdoor activities and helping to attract large numbers of participants.

"One of the key objectives was to strengthen cooperation with schools and physical education teachers," - Emőke Szőcs, B4A Project Coordinator in Hungary

Since biathlon has now become part of the Hungarian Student Olympic Games (Diákolimpia) programme, students can earn additional points at biathlon events that support their future educational opportunities. Therefore, it is especially important to build and expand the network with schools and to help teachers prepare students for biathlon competitions. During the event, the clubs actively engaged with teachers and school representatives, establishing valuable new contacts for future cooperation.

A total of 35 people contributed to the organisation and delivery of the event. The team included coaches, instructors, former elite athletes and currently active competitors, all working together to introduce biathlon to as many people as possible. The organisers were also pleased to welcome the Biathlon Fans Hungary supporters' club, whose members were responsible for sound management and event moderation, helping to create a professional and engaging atmosphere.

The presence of biathlon clubs was especially important. They had the opportunity to promote their activities, distribute flyers, meet potential new members and bring biathlon closer to the public. Visitors could also meet Olympians and experienced athletes, which added great value and inspiration to the event.

Another significant advantage of the Great Sport Selection Event is that it brings together dozens of different sports in one location. This allowed the Hungarian Ski Federation not only to showcase biathlon but also to connect with representatives of other sports, exchange experiences and present biathlon within the wider sporting community.

"Overall, the event was a great success. The high visitor numbers, enthusiastic feedback, strong cooperation among clubs and the growing visibility of biathlon all demonstrate that we are moving in the right direction," - Emőke Szőcs, B4A Project Coordinator in Hungary