About me

Anyone can win their own and their team's championship with perseverance!

Success is not the moment of victory – but the journey that leads there!

In civilian life, I can no longer be found at the starting line, but in adult education, among other things, in the world of leadership thinking.

From elite sports, I learned, for example, how to set goals and move towards them, how to stay focused under pressure, and how to work together in a team.
In motherhood, I learned what it means to be patient and monitor the development of others.

As a career coach, I now combine these experiences – to help others get to where they truly belong – both individually and as a team.

Professional role and leadership experience

From 2025, the Budapest Olympic As the Co-Chair of the Committee, I work to support the development of the capital's and national sports life with a strategic approach and international experience.
In addition, I also work as the member responsible for sports diplomacy of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, where my goal is to ensure that the representation of Hungarian sports on an international level is strong, credible and sustainable in the long term.

I successfully completed the Doctoral School of Sports Sciences at the University of Physical Education, where I researched the relationship between elite athletes and the media. I am a lecturer at the University of Physical Education, my scientific field is sports communication.
This academic background provides a solid foundation for me to work in the field of career coaching not only with experience, but also with theoretical foundation.

Top athlete background and inspiration

As an Olympic, World and European champion, I have experienced all aspects of peak performance: discipline, perseverance, self-discipline, processing success and failure, and the limits of self-knowledge.
These values ​​still determine my thinking today - when working with leaders, athletes and teams, I represent the same approach that led to success in top sports:
clear goals, conscious work, inner balance.

The The approach taken from elite sports is now finding a new form in coaching, education and organizational development – ​​creating more human, value-oriented, long-term sustainable results.

Mission

I believe that leadership is not just a position, but a responsibility and a challenging inner journey.
My goal is to combine my experience from sports and scientific knowledge to support leaders and teams who not only perform, but also inspire, while finding a source of joy and inner balance in their profession, both individually and as a member of their team.

 

  • Co-President of the Budapest Olympic Committee 2025 -

  • International Swimming Hall of Fame Committee Member 2024 -

  • Budapest 2024 Bid Athletes' Committee Chairman 2015-2017

  • MOB Environment and Sustainable Development Committee Chairman 2012-2016

  • MOB Member 2012-2020

  • UNICEF sports ambassador 2010-2013

 

Kovács Á, Dóczi T. (2015) Changes in sports media since the 1990s up to the present: the role of the media and the impact of globalization in the relationship between elite athletes and the media. Hungarian Sports Science Review, 63(3): 35-42. Kovács Á. View of Elite Athletes and Employees of the Media in Hungary: Values, Interests and Conflicts. Gál, A., Kosiewicz, J., Sterbenz, T. (eds) Sport and social sciences with reflection on practice. Josef Pilsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, 2016: 279-288. Kovács Á, Dóczi T. (2018) The relation between Olympians and Employees of the Media in Hungary: Motivations, Attitudes, Rejection. Physical Culture and Sport Studies and Research.
Warsaw, Volume 78: 5-12.


Kovács Á, Dóczi T. (2019) The relationship between elite athletes and media staff from a sports sociology
approach. Culture and Society, 10(4): 29-38.


Kovács Á, Dóczi T. (2020) Elite athletes and media appearances: opportunity or obligation?
Sport in Society, 23(7): 1136-1145.


Kovács Á, Dóczi T, Antunovic D. (2020) Social Media Use Among Olympians and Sport
Journalists in Hungary. International Journal of Sport Communication, 13(2): 181-199.

 

Ágnes Kovács is an Olympic champion, two-time world and seven-time European champion, multiple World Cup winner, and all-time Hungarian champion (53 times) swimmer. She is the only Hungarian swimmer who returned home with a gold medal from the most prestigious world competitions of the year between 1997 and 2001. She was a member of the Hungarian swimming team for 13 years, during which time she finished in a point-scoring position in every international competition. She has been voted the best swimmer in Europe several times, mentioned among the best athletes in the world, she was the Hungarian swimmer of the year seven times in total, and she was elected the best female athlete in Hungary four times. She obtained her first degree in the USA, at Arizona State University, while her most recent qualification was completed at the doctoral school of the University of Physical Education. She is currently a lecturer at the institution. The research topic of her PhD thesis is "The relationship between elite athletes and media colleagues in Hungary at the beginning of the 21st century", her scientific field is sports communication.  She obtained an advanced level in English and an intermediate level in Italian. Mother of two children.

 

1995-1999. Vörösmarty Mihály High School - high school diploma

2001-2005. Arizona State University (USA) - marketing-communications major (BSc)

2006-2008. Semmelweis University Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences - swimming coach

2006-2009. Corvinus University of Budapest Faculty of Economics - economist-sociologist - public opinion research specialization (MA)

2016-2017. UC Berkeley (USA) - career coach

2013-2021. University of Physical Education –  Doctoral studies Department of Social Sciences (PhD)

 

He started swimming at the age of two and a half, at the Sports Swimming Pool. His first coach, Bea Szűcs, recommended that his development could be better ensured elsewhere, so he was transferred to the Kőér Street Swimming Pool at the age of 9. More serious results were still a while away. At the age of 12, they tried to dissuade him from competing. This was the moment when he started to set more serious goals for himself, which is why he started training harder and more purposefully, and from then on, success soon came. At the age of 13 – under the guidance of coach Zsolt Plagányi – he came 3rd in the national age-group championship. With his perseverance, determination and a lot of hard work invested, he made such fantastic progress in one year that even the experts were amazed at what the young competitor was capable of.

In 1995, at the European Youth Championships in Geneva – under the guidance of Attila Selmeci – he became the European Youth Champion in the 100m breaststroke. A month later, in the adult age group – the youngest of the entire fieldAs a junior, she won the bronze medal at the European Championships in Vienna, her best result to date. In the 4 × 100 m medley, she competed in a team with her childhood idol, Krisztina Egerszegi, the relay Edit Klocker and Gyöngyvér Lakos, and achieved a fantastic 2nd place.

Her most outstanding results were achieved between 1997 and 2001, as the only Hungarian swimmer to return home with a gold medal from every world competition. During her 13 years on the national team – with the help of László Kiss, György Turi, Zoltán Nemes and the entire coaching team of Budapest Spartacus later Kőbánya S.C. – she scored points in every international competition, and in 2000 she won the Olympic gold medal in the women's 200-meter breaststroke in Sydney, setting a new Olympic record. She was voted the best swimmer in Europe several times and was considered one of the best athletes in the world for years.

Between 2001 and 2005, she studied in the United States on a scholarship, where she strengthened the Arizona State University Sundevils team. In addition to studying, she trained continuously and continued to compete actively. She won the American championship title, won numerous university competitions, and received the university's highest honor for her 4-year university career, academic and sporting achievements.

She was the athlete of the year four times. She competed in a new event at the Athens Olympics. She came fourth in the 200-meter women's individual medley, breaking Krisztina Egerszegi's record, and finished fifth in the 200-meter breaststroke. In 2004, the Sports Journalists' Association awarded her a special award at the Sports Stars Gala, in recognition of her positive human attitude towards sports in addition to her sporting achievements.

In addition to winning championship titles, her big dream was to compete in front of a domestic audience, and this was fulfilled. In 2006, she became the most successful female member of the Hungarian team at the European Championships in Budapest. Her goal was to win a medal, but instead she won bronze medals in all three breaststroke events, making her one of the audience favorites.

Her last international competition was the Short Course European Championships held in Debrecen in 2007, where she finished in points in several events. He officially retired from competitive sports in 2008. data-bs-parent="#accordion-1764675687397" id="collapse-1764675687397-1">

• Outstanding Youth Athlete Award (1995, 1996)
• Hungarian Republic Silver Cross of Merit /civilian category/ (1996)
• Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year Vote Third Place (1996, 2006)
• Hungarian Youth Athlete of the Year (Telesport) (1996)
• Hungarian Swimmer of the Year (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006)
• Hungarian Sportsman of the Year (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000)
• Best female swimmer in Europe (Swimming World Magazine) (1997, 1998)
• Ranked in the top 10 of "The World's Female Athletes" (1997)
• Member of the Hungarian Olympic Champions Club since 2000
• Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary /civilian category/ (2000)
• 3rd place in the Hungarian "Female Athlete of the Century" in 2001
• Honorary Citizen of Kőbánya (2001)
• Second place in the Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year vote (2001)
• Third place in the Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year vote (1996, 2006)
• Presidential Recognition of the Republic (2004)
• Good Student, Good Athlete Award (2005) Arizona State University
• Budapest Pro Urbe Award (2006)
• MOB Women's Sports Award (2007)
• UNICEF Sports Ambassador (2010)
• Honorary Citizen of Budapest (2014)

• International Swimming Hall of Fame member, induction: 2014, USA, Florida

  Arizona State University - Sun Devils Hall of fame member, induction: 2015, USA, Arizona

 

1995
• Geneva Youth European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:10.98) – 1st place
• Vienna European Championships – 4 × 100 m women's medley relay (4:12.00) – 2nd place
• Vienna European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:10.77) – 3rd place

1996
• Copenhagen Youth European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:10.38) – 1st place
• Copenhagen Youth European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:29.85) – 1st place
• Atlanta Olympics – 200 m breaststroke (2:26.57) – 3rd place
• Atlanta Olympics – 100 m breaststroke (1:09.55) -7th place place

1997
• Seville European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.08) – European champion
• Seville European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:24.90) – European champion

1998
• Perth World Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:25.45) – world champion
• Perth World Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.68) – 4th place
• Perth World Championships – 4 × 100 m women's medley relay (4:11.41) – 5th place

1999
• Istanbul European Championships – 50 m breaststroke, (31.44) – European champion
• Istanbul European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.75) – European Champion
• Istanbul European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:27.12) – European Champion
• Lisbon Short Course European Championships – 50 m breaststroke (31.39) – 2nd place
• Lisbon Short Course European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.30) – 2nd place
• Lisbon Short Course European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:25.41) – 2nd place

2000
• Sydney Olympics – 200 m breaststroke (2:24.35) – Olympic champion
• Sydney Olympics – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.09) – 5th place
• Helsinki European Championships – 50 m breaststroke (31.68) – European champion
• Helsinki European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.38) – European champion
• Helsinki European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:26.85) – 2nd place

2001
• Fukuoka World Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:24.90) – world champion
• Fukuoka World Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.50) – 3rd place
• Fukuoka World Championships – 50 m breaststroke (31.05) – 8th place

2002
• Berlin European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:09.63) – 4th place
• Berlin European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:28.16) – 4th place
• Riesa Short Course European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:24.79) – 5th place
• Riesa Short Course European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:07.97) – 3rd place

2003
• Barcelona World Championships – 200 m individual medley (2:14.63) – 6th place

2004
• Madrid European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:30.29) – 5th place
• Madrid European Championships – 200 m individual medley (2:16.11) – 4th place
• Athens Olympics (2:26.12) – 200 m breaststroke – 5th place
• Athens Olympics (2:13.58) – 200 m individual medley – 4th place

2005
• Trieste Short Course European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:25.09) – 5th place
• Trieste Short Course European Championships – 200 m individual medley (2:12.36) – 4th place

2006
• Budapest European Championships – 50 m breaststroke (31.95) – 3rd place
• Budapest European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:08.60) – 3rd place
• Budapest European Championships – 200 m breaststroke (2:28.90) – 3rd place

2007
• Debrecen Short Course European Championships – 100 m breaststroke (1:07.56) – 5th place
• Debrecen Short Course European Championships – 4 × 50 m medley relay (1:50.38) – 4th place

Records in the 50 m pool:
50 m breaststroke
• 31.95 national record
• 31.89 (July 29, 1999, Istanbul) national record
• 31.44 (July 30, 1999, Istanbul) national record
• 31.34 (May 21, 2000, Monte-Carlo) European record

100 m breaststroke
• 1:10.16 (June 16, 1996, Budapest) national record
• 1:09.05 (July 21, 1996, Atlanta) national record
• 1:08.08 (August 22, 1997, Seville) national record
• 1:07.92 (May 20, 2000, Monte Carlo) national record
• 1:07.79 (September 17, 2000, Sydney) European record

200 m breaststroke
• 2:29.18 (March 17, 1996, Budapest) national record
• 2:28.90 (June 18, 1996, Budapest) national record
• 2:26.57 (July 23, 1996, Atlanta) European record
• 2:26.06 (March 29, 1997, Budapest) European record
• 2:25.31 (April 23, 1997, Budapest) European record
• 2:24.90 (August 20, 1997, Seville) European record
• 2:24.03 (September 20, 2000, Sydney) European record

200 m individual medley
• 2:13.58 (August 17, 2004, Athens) national record