As part of Gender Equality Month, the International Canoe Federation is profiling five influential female leaders from each continent that are blazing a trail for women in the sport. Next up is Hungary’s Noemi Horvath.
“Just go for it” was Noemi Horvath’s short and sweet response when asked what her message would be to female athletes considering moving into sports administration.
Aged 29, Horvath is an ICF Board member, Chair of the global governing body’s Stand Up Paddling Committee and head of the Sports Department at the Hungarian Olympic Committee.
She is making great strides in the world of sports administration after transitioning from being a high-performance athlete.
It is a journey that the former Hungarian paddler hopes other young women can take as they look to find ways to develop the sport.
“I think female athletes have the confidence based on their sporting careers so I would just encourage anyone who is thinking of running for a position or joining an organisation to try it,” said Horvath.
“Just go for it.
“My whole life is based on working hard to gain success.
“I truly believe that if you put the work in, then it will lead you to success down the line.
“When you are an athlete, the feeling of success is obvious when you stand on the podium to receive your medal and people are clapping you.
“Now in a professional life, I know what I should consider as success and it’s not people clapping you, it’s sometimes thinking about what you have achieved.
“You should set goals for yourself each year and then reassess them and go again for the next year.”
Having achieved success on the international stage at an early age, Horvath had high hopes of carving out a career as a paddler.
In 2011, Horvath clinched silver in the women’s kayak four 500m at the ICF Junior Canoe Sprint World Championships.
In 2017, Horvath secured European Canoe Marathon crowns in the U23 K1 long distance and the senior K1 short distance events.
That performance in Ponte de Lima eight years ago was her last competitive race in a kayak after deciding to shift her focus.
“When I turned 23 and I entered the senior age group that was the point when I had to decide whether I wanted to continue competing or focus on my studies and work,” said Horvath.
“I really enjoyed being part of this community, but I wanted to contribute more as an administrator or manager.
“I love helping athletes reach their goals so for me it was a bigger motivation than chasing my own goals as an athlete.”
Horvath secured her first full-time job in the sport in 2017 when she became a project manager for the György Kolonics Foundation where she was responsible for coordinating various events.
Two years later, Horvath started working for the Hungarian Canoe Federation where she was given the opportunity to develop her skills even further as a sports coordinator and international relations manager.
“I am lucky that our President Gabor (Schmidt) and our Vice President Peter (Karai) have supported me 100 per cent on this journey,” said Horvath.
“I think it’s very important to have men who can help you.
“It’s nice when women support each other but I think we need men to support women, and I was fortunate to have Gabor and Peter there.
“Even though the federation is run by men, Gabor and Peter understand the importance of having women in key positions.”
Horvath competed internationally in SUP, winning the world crown in the women’s inflatable in 2019.
Her passion and experience in the discipline resulted in her becoming the first-ever Chair of the ICF SUP Commission in 2021, securing a place on the ICF Board of Directors in the process.
Over the past four years, Horvath has overseen the global growth of the discipline and was re-elected as Chair at the ICF Congress last November with the Commission becoming a Committee.
“I think it’s harder to be re-elected than elected for the first time,” said Horvath.
“As SUP was becoming a Committee in Antalya last year, it was the first time where the Chair had to be elected by the Congress.
“Previously, I was nominated by the Board of Directors, so it was a first for me to be involved in an election.
“It was a very exciting experience.”
Horvath says she is grateful for the support of fellow female ICF Board members in helping her settle into the role.
“Sitting in a room with men and being younger than others could be a double disadvantage but you gain confidence and find ways to make your voice heard,” said Horvath.
“I was lucky to have the support of people like Jovana (Stanojevic) so I was able to ask her a lot of questions.
“Fortunately, there are more women involved with the ICF which makes things easier.”
Not long after sealing a new four-year term as Chair of the ICF SUP Committee, Horvath was appointed as head of the Sports Department at the Hungarian Olympic Committee.
The position saw Horvath lead the Hungarian team at the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Bakuriani, Georgia in February.
“I really enjoy working for the National Olympic Committee,” said Horvath.
“It’s interesting to oversee 38 sports instead of just one and to understand how they all work.
“I was in Georgia for the European Youth Olympic Winter Festival, and I will be in Skopje in North Macedonia for the summer edition of the event later this year.
“I just really enjoy being part of this whole Olympic Movement.”
Related links
