Tibor Benedek, the greatest Hungarian water polo player, has ever died

"At dawn today, Tibor Benedek, the three-time Olympic champion, world and European champion water polo legend, closed his eyes forever. however, we call on both the public and the press to respect the rules of the game during this difficult time. " - states in the communication sent to the family by MTI.

Tibor Benedek was born on July 12, 1972 in Budapest. At the age of five, her mother took her for a swim because of her spinal problems. He started playing water polo at the Central Sports School, then between 1989 and 1996 he strengthened the team of Újpest. He then signed with Italy, where he was first a player for Assitalia Roma and then Pro Recco. Continuing his career, between 2004 and 2007 he played again in Hungary, in the Budapest Honvéd band, and then returned to Pro Recco, where he played water polo until his retirement in 2012.

In addition to elite sports, he also paid special attention to learning: in 1991 he graduated as a coach from the College of Physical Education, and from 1993 he was a history student at the Faculty of Arts of the Pázmány Péter Catholic University, where he received his degree in 2006.

He won the LEN Cup, the Super Cup and the BEK with Újpest, the Champions League with Pro Recco and then the Euroleague, and he was Hungarian and Italian champion several times.

He made his mark in national colors at a young age: in 1989 he became European Youth Champion - he took seven goals in the Istanbul match against the Russians with seven goals - and then returned home with a bronze medal from the Junior World and European Championships. . He competed in five Olympics: in 1992, he finished sixth with the team in Barcelona and was the top scorer of the tournament with 21 hits. Four years later, he finished fourth in Atlanta and again he threw the most goals.

His Olympic performance was jeopardized before the 2000 Sydney Games: in August 1999, it was announced that his doping test during the Italian Championship semi-finals in the spring had yielded a positive result. A small amount of clostebol was found in his sample, which the player thought could have gotten into his body through an ointment used to fight fungi. On September 1, the day before the European Championships in Florence, the Italian Olympic Committee referred the matter to the Italian Swimming Federation, but upheld its suspension. A week later, the Swimming Association banned Benedek for 8 months. At the end of November, the International Federation (FINA) increased the sentence to 15 months. The International Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) gave the final word in January 2000: its ban became 8 months, which expired on 28 April. Benedict nevertheless battled himself into the team, not playing for him in Sydney for a long time, but scoring four goals in a final parade performance against the Russians.

Benedek - who could only play in the wrist guard from 1995 due to a hand injury - was the team captain of the national team for years, in 2004 the Hungarians defended their title in Athens under dramatic conditions. In May 2005, he resigned from the team due to his heart rhythm disorder, and from February 2007, his health allowed him to perform again. He also won the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona, winning a World Cup silver medal in 1998 and 2005, and a bronze medalist in 1991. He has a gold medal (1997) and two second and three third places in the European Championships, as well as a single World Cup and two World League winners. He said goodbye to the national team after the 2008 Beijing Olympic victory, with a peak of 437 matches behind him.

He was interested in his coaching work even before his retirement: from 2010 he was the assistant to the federal captain Dénes Kemény. He held the position of federal captain of the men's national team from January 10, 2013 to December 31, 2016, under his leadership the band became world champion in 2013, second at the European Championships in Budapest in 2014, and fifth at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

He was elected to the presidency of the Hungarian Water Polo Association four years ago. Then, from 2017, he worked as the professional director of UVSE and as the head coach from the 2018/19 season. In May of this year, he announced his retirement from all water polo-related activities.

He was chosen the best Hungarian water polo player of the year four times (1992, 1993, 1994, 2002), and in 2000 he was voted in the Hungarian water polo team of the century. He was elected the best Hungarian federal captain of the year once (2013). He also received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2000), the Middle Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2004) and the Middle Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary with the star (2008). In 2008 he became an honorary citizen of Budapest, in 2015 he entered the Hall of Fame of Water Sports (ISHOF), in 2016 his palm print was placed on the Wall of Hungarian Sports Stars, one of the ten three-time Olympic champions in water polo.

(Source: Source: sportrajongo.hu, mti / Photo: pixabay, mti)