Attila Keresztes

Attila Keresztes was a member of the 1956 Hungarian sabre team which, led by the great Rudolf Karpati and Aladár Gerevich, won the gold medal. With Gene Hámori, Keresztes defected after the Olympics and made the US Olympic team in 1964. In the United States he represented the New York Athletic Club in competition, and won or shared four national championships: the 1962-63 team sabre, and the 1964 individual sabre and team three-weapon. Keresztes had an engineering degree, but he developed a problem with alcohol abuse and ended up driving a cab in Manhattan. He wound up in a wheelchair and returned to Hungary in the late 90s, taking up an offer from the Hungarian sports ministry’s office to provide him with medical care, an apartment, and a pension. He died in Budapest in 2002.