Orienteer Elected 'Athlete of the Nation'

The most successful orienteering competitor in Hungary, 75-year-old Sarolta Monspart has been named as a new member of the exclusive Athlete of the Nation club.

During her active years, Sarolta Monspart won 14 national orienteering championships and six cross-country skiing championships. She was the first European woman to finish the marathon distance within three hours and the first non-Scandinavian female runner to win the World Orienteering Championships back in 1972.

She had to terminate here sport career due to a serious encephalitis inflammation caused by a tick. After recovering from the disease, she got involved in persuading women to live a healthy life.

The Athlete of the Nation Award is given to Hungarian athletes over the age of 60 who have achieved outstanding results during their sporting careers and who have played an important role in Hungarian sporting life after their active sporting years.

The Athlete of the Nation has 12 members. One of them, Olympic champion Éva Székely died on February 29 and the other members unanimously elected Sarolta Monspart as the member.