Hungary’s programme takes bold strides with Three Nations debut

Hungary’s Para ice hockey journey is still in its early stages, but the pace of progress is very inspiring. In late March, Budapest hosted the Andersen Three Nations Para Ice Hockey Tournament – a milestone moment for a programme that only launched in 2024 and has already grown from five newcomers at its first recruitment session to 14 registered athletes representing the country on home ice. 

The tournament, held 28-29 March at the Obudai Jegcsarnok rink, brought together Hungary, Austria and Slovakia’s B national team for two days of competition, learning, and shared development. For Hungary, it was the first real test of its newly formed squad. 

“In the short term, our focus is on preparation for the next season,” said Martina Soos-Martonffy, Grassroot Programme Coordinator at the Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation. “We are organising a nationwide recruitment event in May at one of Hungary’s largest rehabilitation institutions, which will be a key milestone for us.” 

Recruitment remains the backbone of Hungary’s long-term vision. 

“The more athletes we can involve in the sport, the stronger our base becomes, and it also allows us to build a more competitive national team,” Soos-Martonffy added. 

On-ice lessons learned 

Slovakia emerged as tournament winners, defeating Hungary 9-0 in the opener and edging Austria 5-4 later that same day. Austria secured second place with a 15-1 win over the hosts. 

Despite the scorelines, Hungary celebrated a historic moment: defender Tamas Bolla scored the nation’s first goal in international Para ice hockey, assisted by forwards Marton Voros and Manasse Polczon. 

Slovakian captain Robert Turic led all scorers with 12 points, including seven goals.  

The tournament also featured four female athletes competing across the three teams. Slovakia’s Michaela Hozakova and Eva Maria Simakova – both members of Team World at last year’s inaugural Women’s World Championships – suited up again, with Hozakova netting her first national‑team goal against Hungary. The hosts fielded goaltender Nikoletta Macsai and defender Csenge Pfiszter. 

An exhibition game on 29 March mixed players from all nations, ending in a tight 5-4 win for Team White over Team Red.  

The tournament also received support from the Hungary national deaf ice hockey team, whose players assisted with organisation, logistics, and other operational areas. 

A foundation for the future 

For Hungary, the true value of the event went far beyond results.  

“These opportunities help us build confidence, improve our game, and learn continuously,” Soos-Martonffy said. “Both we and our opponents took the matches seriously, and every game gave us valuable lessons.” 

The tournament also had the attendance of World Para Ice Hockey Senior Manager Michelle Laflamme, who was impressed by the evolution of Hungary’s programme. 

“When we last saw Hungary at our 2024 Skills Development Camp in Slovakia, their programme was in its infancy, with some athletes stepping onto the ice for the very first time. Since then, their growth has been outstanding. Their dedication to recruitment and to building sustainable training opportunities sets a powerful example for emerging nations. We look forward to welcoming them into a C-Pool competition very soon,” Laflamme said. 

With the major recruitment push planned for May, the team will continue maximising its remaining ice time this season before shifting to office conditioning over the summer. While new competitions are not the immediate priority, the long-term ambition is clear. 

“We are definitely working towards preparing for participation in the C-Pool World Championships,” Soos-Martonffy added. “Every competition situation contributes to this goal, especially at this early stage of our development.” 

Hungary’s Para ice hockey programme may be young, but its determination – and its rapid growth – signals a promising future. The Andersen Three Nations Tournament was just the beginning.