MARTON Anna

General
POSTPONING SURGERY
She ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] in her left knee while competing at the 2020 Hungarian National Championships but chose not to have an operation on the injury until after the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I decided not to undergo surgery because it would be followed by at least eight months of rehabilitation. Everyone left the decision to me, saying that the Olympics will still be in my life, that my health is the most important thing. The doctors said it doesn't guarantee that I'll make it to Tokyo, but it could work. The risk is high, but I will do my best to be there for the Olympics. I do physiotherapy to strengthen my other muscles, sometimes everything goes great, other times I cry." (nemzetisport.hu, 03 Feb 2021)

MENTAL GAME
She took a few months away from fencing after being knocked out of the round of 16 at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In 2019 she revealed she had begun working with a sports psychologist. "After the [2016] Olympics, I took two months out to collect my thoughts. I didn't want to think about fencing, I just had to relax and release some pressure. I really needed it. When I felt that I was ready to work again, we sat down and set the goals first. I know there are expectations [to succeed in Tokyo 2020], pressure from outside. To learn how to handle this, I work with a sports psychologist. I've learned a lot so far." (msn.com, 12 Apr 2019)

TALLER FENCER
She believes her taller height impacts her fencing in positive and negative ways. "Obviously it affects my speed, but I'm not slow. Being taller has its advantages, longer arms mean a longer attack and a longer lunge. But fighting against shorter opponents is one of the most difficult tasks, and I can lose my balance easily. We have worked a lot on this with coaches, but it can be difficult in the heat of a match." (msn.com, 12 Apr 2019)