Hometown advantage

Docklands dragon boater Reka Abraham returned to her Hungarian hometown last month to compete in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Marathon World Championship.

Born in Hungary, Ms Abraham has paddled with local dragon boat club the Melbourne Flames since 2012.

Last month she returned to her hometown of Gyor, to represent Australia at the ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships.

Competing in a massive 26.1 km double kayak marathon, Ms Abraham and her fellow paddler Penny Young came 12th in the race.

Ms Abraham said she had always dreamed of racing in a World Championships in her hometown and said it was a very special experience.

 “For me, competing in my home town, representing my new life and country, being a team manager and having my grandparents watch me race at a world championships was very emotional,” Ms Abraham said.

“Every time we passed the grandstand people were cheering us as well, the speaker was making sure they knew I was Hungarian and helped to cheer us along as well.”

“It was emotionally overwhelming but at the same time gave us the strength to keep going and finish the 26.1 km.”