From Early Beginnings to Champions League Glory – Tamás Sedlmayer on Career, Sacrifice & Elite Water Polo

In this international episode of the Waterpolo Expert Talk, I speak
with Tamás Sedlmayer, Hungarian professional water polo player and
Champions League winner with Ferencváros (2019), about his journey
from early childhood in Budapest to the very top of European club
water polo. Tamás shares how he first entered the pool at the age
of three, fell in love with water sports instantly, and started
first as a swimmer before transitioning into water polo. He
explains why strong swimming fundamentals became one of the biggest
advantages of his entire career — and why even Olympic legends like
Tibor Benedek continued working on their swimming technique late in
their careers. We follow his development through the famous BVSC
youth system in Budapest, later UVSE, and the moment that changed
everything: receiving his first professional contract at just 17
years old with Vasas, after being scouted at a youth World
Championship. Tamás also reflects on his international club
experiences, including: – Spandau 04 (Germany, Berlin) – Trieste
(Italy) – His return to Hungary and Budapest clubs The emotional
highlight of the episode is his Champions League title in 2019 with
Ferencváros, crowned in a dramatic penalty shootout final against
Olympiacos, where Tamás himself successfully converted one of the
decisive penalties. We also discuss: – Pressure vs. privilege of
wearing the Hungarian national cap – Why Hungary produces elite
players despite a small population – Early international success:
U18 World Championship silver medal (2012, Perth) – How to deal
with setbacks, losses & negative phases – Why discipline,
patience and daily work matter more than talent – His advice to
young players: learning from pain, defeats and hard training Topics
of this episode: – Youth development in Hungarian water polo –
Swimming as a foundation for elite performance – First professional
contract at 17 – Playing in Germany & Italy – Champions League
victory with Ferencváros – Penalty shootout pressure – Hungarian
national team culture – Pressure vs. privilege of the cap –
Learning from defeat & mental resilience – Advice for young
athletes This episode is a must-listen for young players, coaches
and water polo fans worldwide who want to understand how a career
at the top of European water polo is built step by step. More about
the podcast: https://www.schulzekopp.de