Aladár Gerevich

Aladár Gerevich

Hungarian sabre team at the 1960 Olympics, Gerevich is in the center
Personal information
Born	16 March 1910 Jászberény, Hungary
Died	14 May 1991 (aged 81) Budapest, Hungary
Height	1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Club	Magyar Atlétikai Klub CS Magyar Testgyakorlók Köre Budapesti Vörös Meteor SK
Medal record Representing  Hungary Olympic Games 1932 Los Angeles Sabre team 1936 Berlin Sabre team 1948 London Sabre team 1948 London Sabre individual 1952 Helsinki Sabre team 1956 Melbourne Sabre team 1960 Rome Sabre team 1952 Helsinki Sabre individual 1936 Berlin Sabre individual 1952 Helsinki Foil team

Aladár Gerevich (16 March 1910 in Jászberény – 14 May 1991 in Budapest) was a fencer from Hungary, regarded as "the greatest Olympic swordsman ever".^[1] He won gold medals in sabre in six Olympics.^[2]

Biography

Gerevich is the only athlete to win the same event six times (despite two games passed because of the Second World War). The War could not interfere with perhaps his most impressive record, however; he won gold medals in 1932 and 1960, an unprecedented 28 years apart. This record for the most years between first and last Olympic medals was tied by equestrian Mark Todd of New Zealand in 2012.^[3]

Gerevich's wife, Erna Bogen (also known as Erna Bogathy), his son, Pal Gerevich, and his father-in-law, Albert Bogen, all won Olympic medals in fencing.^[4]

In the Hungarian Olympic trials for the 1960 Rome Olympics, the fencing committee told Gerevich that he was too old to compete. He silenced them by challenging the entire sabre team to individual matches and winning every match. He missed the finals of the 1960 Olympic individual sabre event, and a possible individual gold medal, by a single touch. After retiring he coached fencing at the Vasas Sports Club in Budapest, where he died aged 81.^[4]

See also

• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
• List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games

References

1. "Legendary Olympians". CNN.com. 19 August 2008. Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
2. "Olympics Statistics: Aladár Gerevich". databaseolympics.com. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
3. Fred Woodcock (31 July 2012). "New Zealand three-day eventers win bronze". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 31 July 2012.
4. "Aladár Gerevich Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved 3 May 2010.

External links

• www.olimpic.org: Aladár Gerevich with photos