Krisztina FAZEKAS-ZUR (HUN)
Hungary
Biography
Further Personal Information
She began paddling at age 10 in Budapest, Hungary.
Rami Zur [husband]; Botond Storcz [national], HUN
CHARITY WORK In 2013 she founded the Path of Champions Foundation [Bajnokok Utja Alapitvany]. The organisation was set up to help children through sport. "When I was a child my dream was to be an Olympic champion, but for some reason I could not reach it. I was ready to give up when I met someone special and very important to me, who not only changed my life but also helped me to find my self-confidence and taught me to never give up. As a result, I achieved my goal. I am an Olympic champion. My desire is that our organisation will be there for everyone in the same way that my husband was there for me." (LinkedIn profile, 2015; bajnokokutja.hu, 16 Jan 2014) NATIONAL SWITCH Having represented Hungary since 1997, she moved to the United States in 2010 after marrying three-time United States Olympic sprint paddler Rami Zur. In April 2010 she finished first at the US national team trials in Chula Vista, California and earned a spot on the US national team. She represented the United States in 2010 and 2011 before switching back to Hungary ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. (LinkedIn profile, 2015; hungarianambiance.com, 13 Oct 2012; boardworkssurf.com, 08 Aug 2012) LONDON 2012 COMPLAINT OVERTURNED She was part of the Hungarian women's K4 500m crew that won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In December 2012 the International Olympic Committee [IOC] dismissed a bid to have the result disqualified on the grounds that Zur was ineligible to race for Hungary because she had represented the United States the year before. The IOC declared Zur had been eligible to race for Hungary, and that the result would stand. (sportscene.tv, 14 Dec 2012; olympic.org, 04 Dec 2012)
Her husband Rami Zur represented Israel in canoe sprint at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. He competed for the United States at the 2004 and 2008 Games. He has also worked as her coach. (kajakkenusport.hu, 15 Apr 2015; sportscene.tv, 14 Dec 2012)
