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Munich 1972 |
Hungarian Olympic Triumph! 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.
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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1972 Munich Highlights
Hungarian Medals!
Search all 1972 medalists (in Hungarian) |
The 1972 Olympic Logo was designed by renowned Hungarian modern artist, Viktor Vasarely. Marred by a terrorist attack against Israeli athletes and a Soviet - US basketball game eventually called, "the most controversial game in international basketball history," the games continued and saw Mark Spitz, himself of Hungarian heritage, earn a remarkable 7 gold medals and Olga Korbut become a media star. The Hungarians also did quite well. I feature a few of those outstanding Olympians below! Featured Olympians Featured
Olympian, One of the greatest in modern pentathlon history! Featured
Olympian, Foldi Imre: First Hungarian
Olympic Weightlifting Champion! Olga Orban-Szabo is an ethnic Hungarian born in Kolozsvar (now called Cluj-Napoca) in Transylvania on 9 October 1938. Competing for Rumania, she won a silver medal in the women's foil event at the 1956 Summer Olympics. She also won two bronze medals in the women's team foil at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics. Her husband, Sandor (Alexandru) Szabo was born in Brasso (now Brasov after Rumanian annexation of Transylvania) competed for Rumania in Water Polo at the 1956 (8th) , 1960 (5th) , and 1964 (5th) Olympiads. Teammate Ilona Gyulai Jenei (Ileana Gyulai-Drimba-Jenei), born on 12 June 1946 also in Kolozsvar won a bronze medal in the women's team foil events at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics Click for larger images
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