Krisztina Egerszegi
Encyclopedia
Krisztina Egerszegi (ˈkristinɒ ˈɛɡɛrsɛɡi; born 16 August 1974 in Budapest, Hungary
) is a Hungarian
former world record holding swimmer and one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era. She is a three time Olympian (1988
, 1992
and 1996
) and five time Olympic champion; and one of two individuals to have ever won the same swimming event at 3 consecutive Summer Olympics.
She held the world record in the long course 200 m backstroke for almost 17 years (August 1991 – February 2008), after setting it at the 1991 European Championships
(2:06.62). As of June 2009, that time remains the European and Hungarian records. It is the oldest record on the European list, and the second-oldest on the Hungarian list—Egerszegi's former world record in the 100 m backstroke (1:00.31), set 3 days prior to the 200 m backstroke, is the oldest.
At the 1988 Summer Olympics
she won silver medal in the 100 m backstroke and became Olympic champion in the 200 m backstroke. At the age of 14 years and 41 days she became the youngest-ever female Olympic champion in swimming. This youth record was broken in 1992 by Kyoko Iwasaki
of Japan.
At the 1989 European Aquatics Championships she competed in three events adding the 400 m medley to the 100 m and 200 m backstroke, winning silver medal in all three events.
In 1991 she competed at the World Championships
winning the gold medal in both backstroke events. Few months later at the European Championships she won three gold medals and set World records in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke event.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics
she won three individual gold medals, becoming the only female athlete at the Games to do so. The next year at the European Championships she competed in the 200 m butterfly for the first time and went on to win four gold medals also winning the 400 m medley and the 100 m and 200 m backstroke.
In 1994 she announced that she would retire after the World Championships
. After getting a disappointing fifth place in the 100 m backstroke and coming second in the 200 m backstroke she decided to compete for two more years, citing the two defeats as the main reason.
She competed at the 1995 European Aquatics Championships where she won the last two of her nine European titles in the 400 m medley and the 200 m backstroke event. For the first time, she competed in the 4x100 m medley relay where one of her teammates was a young Ágnes Kovács
, a future Olympic champion. They came second and Egerszegi has named this silver medal as 'the one that made her the happiest'. She decided not to compete in the 100 m backstroke even though her time of 1:00.93 clocked during the 4x100 m relay final was better than Mette Jacobsen
's winning time of 1:02.46 by almost two seconds.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
she won her first and only Olympic bronze medal in the 400 m medley and went on to win the 200 m backstroke becoming the second of only two swimmers in Olympic history (Dawn Fraser
being the other) to win gold for the same event at three successive Olympics (200 m backstroke: 1988, 1992, 1996). Between 1988 and 1996 she won 5 Olympic gold medal
s, which was a record for a swimmer for individual gold medal wins. This record has since been broken by Michael Phelps
, who has to date won 9 individual gold medals. Egerszegi announced her retirement from swimming soon after the Olympic games, at the age of only 22.
Her nickname was "Egér" ("Mouse"), a play on her surname, because of her youthfulness and physical size.
She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 2001. She was named Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year on a record-breaking seven occasions. (In 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1996.)
In 2000 a documentary film called Egerszegi was made about her swimming career.
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
) is a Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
former world record holding swimmer and one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era. She is a three time Olympian (1988
Hungary at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Hungary competed at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea. The nation returned after the boycott of the Soviet-bloc of the 1984 Summer Olympics...
, 1992
Hungary at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Gold:* Kinga Czigány, Éva Dónusz, Rita Kőbán, and Erika Mészáros — Canoeing, Women's K4 500 m Kayak Fours* Bence Szabó — Fencing, Men's Sabre Individual* Henrietta Ónodi — Gymnastics, Women's Side Horse Vault...
and 1996
Hungary at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Hungary competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States.- Gold:* Balázs Kiss — Athletics, Men's Hammer Throw* István Kovács — Boxing, Men's Bantamweight...
) and five time Olympic champion; and one of two individuals to have ever won the same swimming event at 3 consecutive Summer Olympics.
She held the world record in the long course 200 m backstroke for almost 17 years (August 1991 – February 2008), after setting it at the 1991 European Championships
European LC Championships 1991
The 1991 European Aquatics Championships were held in Athens, Greece from 18–25 August. The competition, organised by the LEN, was held in the Olympic Aquatic Centre, which also hosted the swimming competition during the 2004 Summer Olympics....
(2:06.62). As of June 2009, that time remains the European and Hungarian records. It is the oldest record on the European list, and the second-oldest on the Hungarian list—Egerszegi's former world record in the 100 m backstroke (1:00.31), set 3 days prior to the 200 m backstroke, is the oldest.
Biography
She made her international debut at the 1987 European Aquatics Championships at the age of 13, coming fourth in the 200 m backstroke and fifth in the 100 m backstroke.At the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
she won silver medal in the 100 m backstroke and became Olympic champion in the 200 m backstroke. At the age of 14 years and 41 days she became the youngest-ever female Olympic champion in swimming. This youth record was broken in 1992 by Kyoko Iwasaki
Kyoko Iwasaki
is a retired swimmer from Japan. She won the gold medal in the 200 metres breaststroke at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. She was at age of 14 years and 6 days when she got the medal.- External links :*...
of Japan.
At the 1989 European Aquatics Championships she competed in three events adding the 400 m medley to the 100 m and 200 m backstroke, winning silver medal in all three events.
In 1991 she competed at the World Championships
1991 World Aquatics Championships
The 1991 World Aquatics Championships took place in Perth, Australia between 3 January and 13 January 1991 with 1142 participating athletes.- Medals table :-Diving:MenWomen-Open water swimming:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen...
winning the gold medal in both backstroke events. Few months later at the European Championships she won three gold medals and set World records in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke event.
At the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
she won three individual gold medals, becoming the only female athlete at the Games to do so. The next year at the European Championships she competed in the 200 m butterfly for the first time and went on to win four gold medals also winning the 400 m medley and the 100 m and 200 m backstroke.
In 1994 she announced that she would retire after the World Championships
1994 World Aquatics Championships
The 1994 FINA World Aquatics Championships were held in Rome, Italy between September 1 and September 11, 1994.-Medal table:-Diving:MenWomen-Open water swimming:MenWomen-Swimming:MenWomen-Synchronized swimming:-Water polo:...
. After getting a disappointing fifth place in the 100 m backstroke and coming second in the 200 m backstroke she decided to compete for two more years, citing the two defeats as the main reason.
She competed at the 1995 European Aquatics Championships where she won the last two of her nine European titles in the 400 m medley and the 200 m backstroke event. For the first time, she competed in the 4x100 m medley relay where one of her teammates was a young Ágnes Kovács
Ágnes Kovács
Ágnes Kovács is a former Hungarian swimmer. She won the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney in 200 m breaststroke....
, a future Olympic champion. They came second and Egerszegi has named this silver medal as 'the one that made her the happiest'. She decided not to compete in the 100 m backstroke even though her time of 1:00.93 clocked during the 4x100 m relay final was better than Mette Jacobsen
Mette Jacobsen
Mette Jacobsen is a former freestyle and butterfly swimmer from Denmark, who competed at five consequentive Summer Olympics for her native country, starting in 1988. Her final breakthrough came in 1995, when she won two titles at the European LC Championships in Vienna, Austria: in the 100 m...
's winning time of 1:02.46 by almost two seconds.
At the 1996 Summer Olympics
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
she won her first and only Olympic bronze medal in the 400 m medley and went on to win the 200 m backstroke becoming the second of only two swimmers in Olympic history (Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser AO, MBE is an Australian champion swimmer. She is one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times – in her case the 100 meters freestyle....
being the other) to win gold for the same event at three successive Olympics (200 m backstroke: 1988, 1992, 1996). Between 1988 and 1996 she won 5 Olympic gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s, which was a record for a swimmer for individual gold medal wins. This record has since been broken by Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, who has to date won 9 individual gold medals. Egerszegi announced her retirement from swimming soon after the Olympic games, at the age of only 22.
Her nickname was "Egér" ("Mouse"), a play on her surname, because of her youthfulness and physical size.
She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 2001. She was named Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year on a record-breaking seven occasions. (In 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 and 1996.)
Impact on Hungarian culture
Her 1988 winning in Seoul became one of the biggest TV-moments in Hungary. The infamous phrase "Come on Mouse, come on little girl" by Tamás Vitray, who was the speaker on the air, is part of the popular culture. Egerszegi is still regarded as the role model of the "champion" in the country.In 2000 a documentary film called Egerszegi was made about her swimming career.