Erzsébet Ruda

Erzsébet Ruda began her career as a gymnast and later switched to athletics. She competed primarily in shot put and discus throwing, winning multiple college championships and setting records in both events. In 1927 she took part at the first women’s athletics competition in Hungary. In 1928 she was nominated to the Amsterdam Olympics as a member of the gymnastics team, but instead she finally started as the first Hungarian women’s athlete in the discus throw, despite only having taken up the discipline only three months before. The following year she received a job offer to become a PE teacher at the University of Szeged. In 1941 she returned to Budapest, where she taught at the College of Physical Education until her retirement. She competed in athletics as late 1947 when she was 43.

Personal Best: DT – 34.85 (1928).