József Szabó

After winning European junior titles in the 400 IM in 1984 and the 200 breaststroke, 200 fly and both IMs in 1985, Hungarian József Szabó burst onto the senior ranks by surprisingly winning gold in the 200 breast at the 1986 World Championships. A pioneer of the new rolling-style “wave-action” breaststroke technique, Szabó won gold in the 200 breast and silver in the 400 IM at the 1987 European Championships and the high point of his career came at the 1988 Olympics, where he won gold in the 200 breaststroke and was fourth in the 400 IM. He last medaled internationally at the 1989 European Championships, where he won bronze in the 200 breaststroke and he last competed internationally at the 1991 World Championships.

Szabó was a 17-time Hungarian champion: 50 breaststroke (1986), 100 breaststroke (1986), 200 breaststroke (1986-87, 1989), 4x100 free relay (1985-88), 4x200 free relay (1984-90), and medley relay (1986). After finishing his sporting career, Szabó operated his own sports shop and swimming school in Budapest. From 1993-2000, he was vice-president of the Hungarian Swimming Federation and also was a member of the Hungarian National Olympic Committee. Szabó was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2012.

Personal Bests: 200 m breaststroke – 2:13.52 (1988); 200 m individual medley – 2:09.08 (1988); 400 m individual medley – 4:17.52 (1991).