József Sír

József Sír began his sports career in 1928 in the colors of Budapesti Budai Torna Egylet (BBTE). In 1934, 1935, and 1939 he was the Hungarian champion at both 100 and 200 metres. In 1939 he also won the 100 yard British Championship. His best time at 100 metres (10.4), from 1934, stood as a national record for three decades. Between 1932 and 1940, he was a member of the Hungarian national team 13 times. Sír finished second at the 1934 European Athletics Championships at 200 metres and third at the 100-metres and 4 x 100-metre relays.

Sír won gold in all three track events at the 1935 World University Championships. At the 1936 Summer Olympics, he reached the semi-finals in the 100 metres and the quarterfinals of the 200 metres, and ran the relay. At the 1939 World University Championships, he won a gold medal at 100 metres, silver at 200 metres, and bronze in the 4 × 100 metre and 10 × 200-metre relays.

In the 1940s, Sír began working with the Hungarian Athletics Association. Between 1951 and 1956, he worked as state coach, and from 1957 he was head coach of the national team. From 1964 to 1984, he was a member of the board of the International Athletics Association. In 1975, he founded the Development Committee of the International Athletics Federation, of which he was chairman and director. From 1989 he was the honorary president of the Hungarian Athletics Association. His work in sports science was also significant, with many books published on athletics.

Personal Bests: 100 – 10.4 (1934); 200 – 21.4 (1935).