Empower to Inspire: Simon eyes big goals with patience

Named the best young player of the 2023/24 season at the EHF Excellence Awards 2024 as well as at the EHF EURO 2024, there is no doubt that Hungary and FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria centre back Petra Simon is one of the most exciting rising talents in handball.

Now aged 20, Simon has already celebrated one momentous success, as Hungary ended a 12-year wait for a medal at a major championship when they took bronze at the EHF EURO 2024. Simon played an important role in the medal, contributing 26 goals to be Hungary’s fourth top scorer in the event.

Simon has become an important player for Hungary in a remarkably short time, having made her major tournament debut at the 2023 World Championship. She had a small role at that event, where Hungary placed 10th, then rose to greater prominence at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Hungary were narrowly knocked out of medal contention at Paris 2024, with their quarter-final against Sweden the only one proceeding into overtime. It was at the Olympic Games that Simon showed her ability as an impact player, making her presence felt in key moments.

On a club level, Simon is into her second EHF Champions League season, playing for Hungarian side FTC. In her debut season, 2023/24, she scored 39 goals in the top flight.

Before joining the main stage, Simon had grabbed attention in youth age category events, taking one bronze medal and two titles across the European and World Championships. Her performances earned her two All-star Team awards, at the 2022 Youth World Championship and W19 EHF EURO 2023, and she was also named MVP of the W19 EHF EURO 2023. 

The dreams

With one major championship medal already under her belt and every reason to hope Hungary will continue on an upwards trajectory, as the current national team is a very young one, Simon can afford lofty dreams. But her goals are not all about handball, nor are they immediate. 

“I would like to achieve everything I can in handball. I mean, the Champions League medal. With the Hungarian national team, better results — in the Olympic Games or World Championship, European Championship, even gold medals,” says Simon. 

“Also, I would like to be able to finish law school and to get that degree in life, because it's a hard thing that I promised myself I would get through. It doesn't matter how much time it will take, but I would like to be able to finish law school. In life, I would like to have a happy family, health.”

In a way, Simon says she is already living her dream, as she relishes the day-to-day of her flourishing handball career. “I really enjoy what I do every day at my workplace. Those are my biggest dreams or goals. Of course, in the future, as a woman, I would like to have kids, a house, and so on, but these are further goals.” 

The biggest challenge

With success comes the pressure to perform. And with her role, often being used as an impact player, comes Simon’s biggest challenge — there is a mental game for her to play when she does not start on the court or have many minutes in a match.  

“My biggest challenge in handball that I have faced, or I am facing right now, is to have confidence, even when I'm not playing or I'm not on the field and they put me on after a long time that I haven't been playing so much, or like for matches no minutes at all. But when they put me on, I have to be confident about myself,” says Simon, before focusing on the more detailed challenges of the game.

“Also, to adapt to new situations, and to show something new. As a young player and of course, in the handball world, we know each other, and after a bit of time, we know how each player does this or does another thing, so it's about constantly improving myself and my knowledge and my actions and everything that connects to handball. I think these are my biggest challenges.”

The biggest inspiration

Although Hungary had to wait some time to celebrate the EHF EURO 2024 medal, with the previous most recent silverware coming at the EHF EURO 2012, the national team has a strong history. A player of Simon’s age would have plenty of role models of her own nationality to look to, and it is two Hungarian players of her own position, centre back, that Simon names as her biggest inspiration. 

“A female handful player that I have to name — Aniko Kovacsics was one of the best, or main role model for me, and also Anita Görbicz. They were also playmakers, but they are really different players, and they had the biggest influence on me. I grew up watching them playing handball. I have learnt a lot from them,” says Simon.

“I think they were so smart on the field, and they could win matches with their heads, so they were my biggest role models and they always will be.”

All photos © kolektiff images