Tibor Nyilas

Tibor Nyilas began fencing as a youth at the Salle Santelli, the salle d’armes of Italo Santelli, the preeminent sabre coach of all-time. Because of the unstable political climate in Hungary in 1939, Nyilas decided to emigrate to the United States. A 1937 graduate of a Hungarian medical college, he first took up an appointment in St. Louis, but soon moved to New York where he became a general practitioner. Nyilas was a member of four U.S. Olympic teams consecutively from 1948. His best individual finish was seventh in sabre in 1948. At the 1960 Olympics, he won all four of his bouts in the team sabre semi-final match against the Soviets, enabling the U.S. to advance to the final and place fourth, the last time we have done so well. Nyilas won the AFLA national championship seven times in individual sabre and once in three weapon. He was also a member of 12 national championship teams, fencing for either Salle Santelli or the New York AC. At the 1951 Pan American Games, he won three gold medals – in sabre individual, sabre team (with Frederick Weber, George Worth, Nate Lubell, Byron Krieger, and Joe de Capriles), and foil team (with Ed Vebell, Albert Wolff, Byron Krieger, Nate Lubell, and Joe de Capriles). Nyilas again won gold with the sabre team at the 1955 Pan American Games (with George Worth, Dick Dyer, and Allan Kwartler) and at the 1959 Pan American Games (with Allan Kwartler, Robert Blum, George Worth, and the non-Olympians Walter Farber and William Goering).