A particularly important milestone in Ágnes Kovács’ professional career is that she was the first Hungarian Olympic champion to earn a PhD at the Doctoral School of Sport Sciences at the University of Physical Education.
She wrote her dissertation entitled “The Relationship between Elite Athletes and Media Staff at the Beginning of the 21st Century in Hungary,” in which she comprehensively examined the changes and trends in sports media and the development of the communication environment of elite athletes.
“Swimming may seem like an individual sport from the outside, but in the background, a professional team supports the athlete. I have experienced the same community strength and professional cooperation in my scientific work,” she said after the defense.
She added: “Although my choice of topic was inspired by my sports background, I approached the study as a researcher. It was exciting to explore how the operation of sports media has changed, and I trust that my research will provide practical assistance to both elite athletes and sports journalists.”
During her career, Ágnes Kovács was an Olympic champion, two-time world champion, seven-time European champion and a key member of the Hungarian swimming team for thirteen years. She finished all her international competitions in points.
With her PhD, her professional career has entered a new chapter, in which she uses her experience from elite sports and sports science in the development of leaders, organizations and teams, as an executive coach and sports manager.