swordsman Aron Szilagyi in history with three Olympic titles in a row

Valentina Vezzali certainly felt lonely. In history, the Italian foilist was the only fencer to have accomplished the feat of winning three Olympic titles (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008). But a Hungarian saber legend also wanted his place in the record books for posterity. Double Olympic title holder Aron Szilagyi was aiming for an unprecedented treble in the history of men’s saber.

In the final at Makuhari Messe Hall in Chiba, for the opening of the Tokyo Olympic Games fencing tournament, Szilagyi easily dominated the Italian Luigi Samele 15 touches to 7 to claim the third Olympic gold medal of his career after London 2012 and Rio 2016.

The Hungarian returned to his career to win gold: “I can’t describe how I feel, but I’m totally overwhelmed, he declared after his duel. The semi-final was very difficult for me, my opponent was excellent. I had to concentrate really well to win. In the final, I arrived in the best possible shape. I was dominant and everything worked wonderfully. I dedicate this victory to two people. My first trainer, who taught me everything, and my wife, who is home at the moment. “

The Hungarian school still in the spotlight

This feat of Szilagyi constitutes one more consecration for the Hungarian fencing school, whose excellence has been a constant for decades, to the point of having seen its double Olympic champion (1968 and 1972) in épée, Pal Schmitt, to become… President of the Republic in 2010.

In Rio, already, Szilagyi had equaled the French Jean-François Lamour, double Olympic champion in 1984 and 1988, becoming the fifth saber in history to achieve the Olympic double in individual, and the third Hungarian after Jenö Fuchs (1908 and 1912 ) and Rudolf Karpati (1956 and 1960). The Magyars have won 14 of the 28 gold medals in this discipline. No other country has won more than three times, which places Hungary’s grip on the discipline.

A native of Budapest, Szilagyi, right-handed with a proud physique (1.80 m, 79 kg) is also renowned in his country for being one of the most brilliant sportsmen – he has notably collected several prizes in mathematics – and the most modest : he often participates as a goodwill ambassador in canine therapy sessions offered to children suffering from autism and / or Down syndrome.

Flag bearer in Rio in 2016

A precocious talent – he started fencing at the age of 9 at the Vasas club – he was spotted very young and with integrity in 2007, when he was still only a cadet, the senior Hungarian team with which he won, at the World Championships in Saint Petersburg, the gold medal in team saber, beating France 45-43, a first for his country since 1998. His progress was then constant: in 2009, he won bronze at the Worlds in Antalya and, in 2013, he finished third in individual at the European Championships in Sheffield.

A graduate in international relations, he was the flag bearer of Hungary at Rio 2016, before being elected in 2017 president of the Athletes’ Commission at the International Federation. Paradoxically, he has never been world champion. The last charm missing from his incredible track record.

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