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Mexico City 1968

The beginnings of the Olympic movement in Hungary go back further than the Games in Athens. Ferenc Kemeny, a great pacifist and member of the International Peace Bureau, was one of Pierre de Coubertin's first kindred spirits, with whom he struck up a friendship in the 1880's. He took an active part in the Congress for the re-establishment of the Games held in Paris in 1894 and was one of the founder members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Coubertin supported Kemeny's suggestion to hold the first Olympics in Budapest in 1896 in honor of Hungary's 1000 years of statehood.Hungarian Olympic Triumph!
by Bryan Dawson

Did you know...as of 2016, Hungary ranks 8th in the world in medals at the Summer Olympic Games despite its being torn apart after WWI and losing half her population and 2/3 of her territory. This does not include an additional 6 medals won in the Winter Olympics nor the Hungarians that won medals as nationals of other countries after borders were redrawn or after large-scale emigration.

Ferenc Kemeny,
founding
member of the International Olympic Committee.

The beginnings of the Olympic movement in Hungary go back further than the Games in Athens. Ferenc Kemeny, a great pacifist and member of the International Peace Bureau, was one of Pierre de Coubertin's first kindred spirits, with whom he struck up a friendship in the 1880's.

Kemeny took an active part in the Congress for the re-establishment of the Games held in Paris in 1894 and was one of the founding members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Coubertin supported Kemeny's suggestion to hold the first Olympics in Budapest in 1896 in honor of Hungary's 1000 years of statehood. While the dream of hosting an Olympics is not yet realized, Hungary has won more Olympic medals than any other nation that has never hosted the Games.

Hungary in the Olympics - Select a Year:

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COPYRIGHT:
Please ask for permission and CITE this source, attributing Bryan Dawson, before using this information.


1968 Mexico City Highlights

  • Hungary wins 32 Gold, 20 Silver, and 29 bronze!
  • Hungarian fencing continues to dominate:
    • Men's team take 11th Gold!
      • Fencer Dr. Fenyvesi Csaba wins first of eventual 3 Gold Medals!
      • Fencer Kulcsar Gyozo wins 2 more Gold Medals!
    • 3 out of the 4 bronze medal winning Rumanian women's foil team are ethnic Hungarians!
  • Men's Modern Pentathlon Team wins another Gold!
    • The "Greatest Pentathlete," Balczo Andras wins Gold and Silver!
  • Men's Soccer Team Hungary wins 3rd Gold (second consecutive)!
  • Wrestler Kozma Istvan wins 2nd Consecutive Gold
  • Hammerthrower Zsivotsky Gyula wins Gold after 2 consecutive Silver Medals

Hungarian Medals!

Medal
Name Event
Gold
Kulcsár Gyöző Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr egyéni
Gold
Németh Angéla Javelin / gerelyhajítás
Gold
Hesz (Hess) Mihály Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-1 1000 m
Gold
Tatai Tibor Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu C-1 1000 m
Gold
Zsivótzky Gyula Hammerthrow / kalapácsvetés
Gold
Kozma István Wrestling / birkózás kötöttfogás 97 kg felett
Gold
Varga János Wrestling / birkózás kötöttfogás 57 kg
Gold
B. Nagy Pál Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Gold
Fenyvesi Csaba dr. Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Gold
Kulcsár Gyöző Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Gold
Nemere Zoltán Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Gold
Schmitt Pál dr. Men's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Gold
Balczó András Modern Pentathlon (team) / öttusa csapat
Gold
Móna István dr. Modern Pentathlon (team) / öttusa csapat
Gold
Török Ferenc dr. Modern Pentathlon (team) / öttusa csapat
Gold
Básti István Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Dunai II. Antal Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Dunai Lajos Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Fatér Károly Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Fazekas László Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Juhász István Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Keglovich László Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Kocsis Lajos Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Menczel Iván Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Nagy László Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Noskó Ernő Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Novák Dezső Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Páncsics Miklós Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Sárközi István Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Szalai Miklós Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Szarka Zoltán Soccer / Labdarugás
Gold
Szűcs Lajos Soccer / Labdarugás
Silver
Balczó András Modern Pentathlon (team) / öttusa egyéni
Silver
Kamuti Jenő dr. Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr egyéni
Silver
Földi Imre Weightlifting / súlyemelés légsúly 56 kg
Silver
Hammerl László dr. Shooting / sportlövészet kisöbű sportpuska fekvő
Silver
Kiss Antal Speedwalking / 50 km gyaloglás
Silver
Csermely József 4 man rowing / evezés kormányos nélkűli négyes
Silver
Sarlós György 4 man rowing / evezés kormányos nélkűli négyes
Silver
Melis Antal 4 man rowing / evezés kormányos nélkűli négyes
Silver
Melis Zoltán 4 man rowing / evezés kormányos nélkűli négyes
Silver
Bóbis Ildikó Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Silver
Dömölky Lídia Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Silver
Gulácsy Mária Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Silver
Marosi Paula Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Silver
Rejtő Ildikó Women's Team Fencing / vívás tőr csapat
Silver
Petrikovics Gyula Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu C-2 1000 m
Silver
Wichmann Tamás Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu C-2 1000 m
Silver
Timár István Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-2 1000 m
Silver
Giczy Csaba Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-2 1000 m
Silver
Fábiánné Rozsnyói Katalin Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-2 1000 m
Silver
Pfeffer Anna Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-2 1000 m
Bronze
Bajkó Károly Wrestling / birkózás kötöttfogás 78 kg
Bronze
Csatári József Wrestling / birkózás szabadfogás 97 kg
Bronze
Bakos Károly Weightlifting / súlyemelés légsúly 75 kg
Bronze
Bakonyi Péter Men's Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat
Bronze
Kalmár János Men's Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat
Bronze
Kovács Tamás Men's Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat
Bronze
Meszéna Miklós Men's Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat
Bronze
Pézsa Tibor Men's Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat
Bronze
Bodnár András dr. Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Dömötör Zoltán Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Felkai László Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Konrád II. János Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Konrád III. Ferenc dr. Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Mayer Mihály Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Molnár Endre Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Pócsik Dénes Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Sárosi László dr. Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Steinmetz János Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Szívós István dr. Waterpolo / vízilabda csapat
Bronze
Csizmadia István Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-4 1000 m
Bronze
Giczy Csaba Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-4 1000 m
Bronze
Szöllősi Imre Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-4 1000 m
Bronze
Timár István Kayak Canoe / kajak-kenu K-4 1000 m
Bronze
Kontsek Jolán Discus / diszkoszvetés
Bronze
Kovács Annamária Pentathlon / ötpróba
Bronze
Kulcsár Gergely Javelin / gerelyhajítás
Bronze
Lovász Lázár Hammerthrow / kalapácsvetés
Bronze
Pézsa Tibor Fencing / vívás kard egyéni
Bronze
Rejtő Ildikó Fencing / vívás tőr egyéni
Bronze
Olga Orban-Szabo Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat Won bronze competing for Rumania
Bronze
Ileana Gyulai-Drimba Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat Won bronze competing for Rumania
Bronze
Ecaterina Stahl-Iencic
(Stahl Jencsik Katalin)
Team Fencing / vívás kard csapat Won bronze competing for Rumania

Search all 1968 medalists (in Hungarian)



Hungary wins 32 Gold, 20 Silver, and 29 bronze in Mexico!

Featured Olympian

Andras BalczoFeatured Olympian, Balczo Andras:
(b. 8/16/1938 Kondoros, Hungary)

The Greatest Pentathlete...
András Balczó was the winner of a record five individual and five team titles in the modern pentathlon at the World Championships, winning the individual championship consecutively from 1963-1969 (it is not held in Olympic years). Balczó won team gold and individual silver medals i1968 Men's Pentathlonn 1968 and then, in 1972, he won the individual title and a silver medal in the team event for a total of six Olympic medals (three gold, three silver). Although the reigning world champion, he did not compete in the 1964 Games but his overall record is the greatest of any modern pentathlete. His best event was cross-country running.

Olympic medals:
Gold: 3
Silver: 3

World Championships
Gold: 11 (63, 65, 66, 67, 69, 70, 71)
Silver: 6 (58, 59, 61, 62, 69, 70)
Bronze: 2 (61, 71)


Mihaly Hesz Istvan Kozma Gyozo Kulcsar Tibor Tatai

Angela Nemeth Janos Varga Gyula Zsivotzky

1968 Men's Soccer Team Hungary 1968 Men's Team Fencing

Click for larger images

 

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