That is the view of Hungarian Olympic Committee (MOB) President Zsolt Gyulay, who believes last month’s successful World Athletics Championships will have only helped strengthen the desire of the country’s capital to finally stage an event it has coveted for more than a century.

The Hungarian Government claim that, at the moment, they have not officially committed to another Olympic campaign for 2036 with Budapest having also failed with bids for 1916, 1920, 1936 and 1960.

But sports officials there are doing little to disguise the fact they are on manoeuvres and ready to bid again.

"There’s an everlasting bond between Hungarians and the Olympics," Gyulay exclusively told insidethegames.

"Hungary was one of the founders of the Olympic Movement and we have a very special affection for it here."

Gyulay, a double Olympic gold medallist in sprint canoe having won the K-1 1500 metres and K-4 1000m at Seoul 1988, claimed that a World Athletics Championships widely praised as one of the best in history will be an important calling card for when Budapest next bids.

Gyulay, elected MOB President in January 2022, is also chief executive of the annual Hungarian Grand Prix.

“Every time the Formula One organisers come here, they tell us how much the Hungarian people love their sport," he said.

"It was the same with the World Athletics Championships.

"Everyone saw how it went and if anyone had any doubts left that we could stage such a big event then that was proof that we can do it.

"It took place in a great stadium, wonderful surroundings and with a great atmosphere."

Leading the praise was World Athletics President and International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Sebastian Coe, who claimed the event "created a new standard" for future Championships.

IOC President Thomas Bach, along with several other members, were among those who attended the Championships held in the newly built National Athletics Centre, a legacy of Budapest’s failed bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

Coe and Bach both praised the contribution of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for helping make the World Athletics Championships a success.

But Gyulay is aware that Orbán divides opinion in Hungary and any future Budapest bid needs to build support from the ground up.

Budapest’s bid for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics was scrapped after the civil organisation Momentum Movement secured enough signatures for a referendum of local residents.

Since that campaign was dropped six years ago, Budapest has hosted a number of major events, including the World Aquatics Championships in 2017 and 2022.

Gyulay believes these high-profile championships act like building bricks for a future Olympic bid.

"It’s a regulation of the IOC to have the majority backing of society," he told insidethegames.

“Building that support means keeping the Olympic plans away from politics and ensuring that we have the backing of younger people.

"It is important to demonstrate the benefits of hosting the Olympics.

"We saw at the World Athletics Championships how wide it opened the door and connected Hungary with the world.

"The Olympics would provide another opportunity to do that."