In November 2013, Hungary created its Swimming Hall of Fame to commemorate some of the nation’s greatest swimmers ever to compete. The Hungarian Swimming Association has released the list of nominees for this year’s induction. Voting will take place to select those to join the prestigious ranks of the nation’s top swimming athletes.
The list of nominees is as follows:
Sándor Wladár
Norbert Rózsa
József Szabó
Attila Czene
Krisztina Egerszegi
Tamás Darnyi
Ágnes Kovács
Zoltán Verrasztó
András Hargitay
Sándor Wladár won a gold medal in the 200m Backstroke at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. In the following years, he proceeded to win a gold medal at the 1981 European championships, a silver medal in the 1982 World Championships, and a silver medal in the 1983 European Championships in the same event. He also claimed a gold medal in the 100m Backstroke at the 1981 European Championships.
Norbert Rózsa is a former breaststroker from Hungary who competed at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he won two silver medals (100m Breaststroke and 200m Breaststroke), and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he took home a gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke. He won a pair of gold medals at the 1994 World Aquatics Championships, and was subsequently crowned the Hungarian Sportsman of the Year for this performance.
József Szabó was also a breaststroker for Hungary. He is best known for winning a gold medal in the 200m Breaststroke at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. However, he also claimed gold medal at the 1986 World Championships and at the 1987 European Championships in the 200m Breaststroke, a silver in the 4×100 Medley at the European Championships, and a bronze in the 200m Breaststroke at the 1989 European Championships.
Attila Czene specialized in the IM events. He competed in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. After earning a bronze medal in Barcelona, he took home the gold medal in the 200m IM event at the Atlanta Olympics. He was also the only athlete in the 1996 Olympics to break two minutes.
Krisztina Egerszegi is one of three athletes to ever have won the same swimming event at three summer Olympics. She was a backstroker, and held the world record in the Women’s 200m Backstroke from 1991 until 2008. At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, she became the youngest female Olympic champion at that time when she won a silver medal in the 100m Backstroke and a gold in the 200m Backstroke. In 1991, she won golds in both backstroke events. In the Barcelona Olympics, she won three golds, the only woman at the 1992 Olympics to accomplish this feat. At the Atlanta Olympics, she won bronze in the 400m Medley and gold in the 200m Backstroke. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2001, named the Female World Swimmer of the Year on three occasions, and a Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year seven times.
Tamás Darnyi swam in two Olympic Games: 1988 and 1992. He was undegeated in the 200m and 400m IM events from 1985 until 1993, the year he retired from the sport. He was also the first man to break the 2-minute barrier in the 200m IM. He won the 200m and 400m IM at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and 1992 Barcelona Olympics. He repeated this feat at the 1985, 1987, and 1989 European Championships, and also at the 1986 and 1991 World Championships. He was named Male World Swimmer of the Year in 1987 and 1991.
Ágnes Kovács is a retired Hungarian swimmer who won a silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 200m Breaststroke. She was named Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year every year from 1997 to 2000. She swim for Arizona State, where she still holds the school record in the 200 yard Breaststroke. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014.
Zoltán Verrasztó specialized in the backstroke events and IM events during his time as a Hungarian swimmer. He won a silver medal in the 200m Backstroke and a bronze in the 400m IM at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He coached his two children to be exceptional swimmers, and his daughter, Evelyn, competed in the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Olympics.
András Hargitay won a bronze medal in the men’s 400m IM at the 1972 Munich Olympics. In 1974, he set a world record in the 400m IM. He just missed medaling in the 400m IM at both the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics, claiming fourth place at both competitions. In 1975, he was named Hungarian Sportsman of the Year for winning two gold medals at the 1975 World Aquatics Championships.
To vote for one of these athletes, please visit http://musz.hu/urlap/magyar-úszó-hírességek-csarnoka-megnyílik-jelöltek#sthash.TYqeTk8v.wfysAlnR.dpuf.