PersonJewish Eligibility — Verified by JWR

Éva Székely

Hungarian Jewish swimmer who won the 200 m breaststroke at Helsinki 1952 and ...

Hungary

Biography

Éva Székely was a Hungarian Jewish swimmer and Olympic champion whose life combined elite sporting achievement with survival during the Holocaust era. Born in Budapest on 3 April 1927, she developed into one of Hungary’s leading breaststroke swimmers. During the Second World War, anti-Jewish persecution interrupted her athletic development and placed her life in danger, but she survived and returned to high-level competition after the war. At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Székely won the women’s 200-metre breaststroke in an Olympic-record time of 2:51.7. She later won a silver medal in the same event at the 1956 Melbourne Games. Her career continued as a swimmer and later as a coach. Jewish sports histories recognize her as a major Jewish Olympian, and her 1952 victory provides the achievement used for this JWR record.

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Biographical video supporting the holder profile for Olympic swimming champion Éva Székely.

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Records held by Éva Székely

JWR Verified

Sports · Olympic GamesFirst

First Jewish Woman to Win an Individual Olympic Gold Medal in Swimming

Record holder

Éva Székely

Record value

29 July 1952

Éva Székely became the first Jewish woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming when she won the women’s 200 metres breaststroke final at the Helsinki Olympic Games on 29 July 1952. Swimming for Hungary, Székely finished in 2:51.7, an Olympic record, ahead of fellow Hungarian Éva Novák and Britain’s Elenor Gordon. Her victory was especially significant because Székely had survived anti-Jewish persecution in Hungary during the Second World War and later returned to elite competition. She had already competed at the 1948 London Olympics and went on to win another Olympic medal in 1956. JWR uses the exact date of the Helsinki final as the Record Value; the event, distance, result and historical context belong in this Record Story.

Country represented: Hungary
Achievement location: Helsinki, Finland
Achievement date: 29 July 1952

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