Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Tibor Benedek

Tibor Benedek
Personal information
Born (1972-07-12)12 July 1972
Budapest, Hungary[1]
Died 18 June 2020(2020-06-18) (aged 47)
Budapest, Hungary
Nationality Hungarian
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Wing
Handedness Left
Youth career
1980–
KSI
Senior clubs
Years Team
–1989
KSI
1989–1996
UTE-Office & Home
1996–2001
INA Assitalia Roma
2001–2004
Pro Recco
2004–2007
Domino-BHSE
2006
Sliema (Summer League)
2007–2012
Pro Recco
National team
Years Team Apps
1990–2008
 Hungary 384
Teams coached
2010–2012
Hungary (assistant)
2013–2016
Hungary
2018–2020
UVSE-Hunguest Hotels

Tibor Benedek (12 July 1972 – 18 June 2020) was a Hungarian professional water polo player and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He played on the gold medal squads at the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics. Benedek also competed at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, where the Hungarian team placed 6th and 4th, respectively.

Benedek was the head coach of Hungary men's national water polo team between 2013 and 2016.[2]

Benedek was named Hungarian Water Polo Player of the Year in 1992, 1993 and 1994. He made his debut for the national side in 1990. His father, Miklós Benedek, is an actor.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest water polo players of all time,[3] Benedek ranks second on the all-time scoring list in Olympic history, with 65 goals. He was the joint top goalscorer at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with 22 goals, and the top goalscorer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with 19 goals. Benedek is the ninth player to compete in water polo at five Olympics, and one of ten male athletes who won three Olympic gold medals in water polo.[1] In 2016, he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[4]

Tibor Benedek died on 18 June 2020 due to pancreatic cancer. His death was announced by the Hungarian Water Polo Federation.[5]

Honours

As player

National

384 present in the national team of Hungary

  • Junior World Championships: (Bronze medal – 1991)
  • Junior European Championship: (Bronze medal – 1990)
  • Youth European Championship: (Gold medal – 1989)

Club

Újpest (UTE-Primavera, UTE-Office & Home)

Racing Roma (INA Assitalia Roma)

Pro Recco

  • Italian Championship (1x): 2001–02
  • LEN Euroleague (1x): 2002–03

Bp. Honvéd (Domino-BHSE)

Pro Recco (Ferla Pro Recco)

As head coach

 Hungary (2013–2016)

Awards

  • Total-waterpolo magazine's man water polo "World Player of the Year's2000–20" award[6]
  • Member of the Best Team of the Year's in the World by total-waterpolo 2000–20[6]
  • Masterly youth athlete: 1991
  • Hungarian Water Polo Player of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994, 2002
  • Member of the Hungarian team of year: 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
  • Honorary Citizen of Budapest (2008)
  • Hungarian head coach of the Year: 2013
  • Member of International Swimming Hall of Fame (2016)[4]
Orders

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Tibor Benedek". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Vízilabda: kiválasztották az új kapitányt, itt a Benedek-utód!". nemzetisport.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  3. ^ Curcic, Ivan (18 June 2020). "Tibor Benedek passed away". total-waterpolo.com. Total Waterpolo.
  4. ^ a b "Tibor Benedek (HUN)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. ^ "Legendary Water Polo Player and Coach Tibor Benedek Dies at Age 47". Hungary Today. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Maggie Steffens and Tibor Benedek are the Best Water Polo Players of the 21st Century". total-waterpolo.com.
  7. ^ "Olimpikonok kitüntetése a Parlamentben" (in Hungarian). Hungarian Olympic Committee. 29 August 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.