Áron Szilágyi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Áron Szilágyi |
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Szilágyi at the 2013 World Championships in Budapest
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| Born | 14 January 1990 Budapest, Hungary |
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| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Hungary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Fencing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weapon | Sabre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hand | right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National coach | András Decsi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Vasas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former coach | Béla Somlai, György Gerevich | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIE ranking | current ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Áron Szilágyi (born January 14, 1990) is an amazing fencer from Hungary. He uses a special sword called a sabre. Áron is famous for winning three gold medals in a row at the Olympic Games! This makes him the only male fencer ever to do that.
He has competed in five Olympic Games: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020, and Paris 2024. Besides his individual gold medals, he also won a team bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 and a team silver medal in Paris 2024.
Áron has also won many medals at other big competitions. He is a world champion and a European champion. Since 2020, he has been the president of the Fencing Division at his club, Vasas Sport Club.
Áron's Fencing Journey
Starting Young in Fencing
Áron started fencing when he was nine years old. He joined the Vasas SC club in Budapest, Hungary. His first coach was György Gerevich. Áron looks up to György and his father, Aladár Gerevich, who won seven Olympic gold medals!
First Big Wins
Even when he was still a young fencer, Áron joined the senior Hungarian team. This was for the 2007 World Fencing Championships. His team won the gold medal, which was a huge achievement. They beat France in a close match. Because of this win, Áron and his teammates were named the Hungarian team of the year.
He also competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He finished 15th in the individual event. Later, he won a team bronze medal at the 2009 World Fencing Championships. He also got a bronze medal at the 2011 European Fencing Championships.
Olympic Gold in London (2012)
Áron was the only Hungarian fencer to qualify for the men's sabre event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He was one of the top fencers there. He beat the 2008 Olympic champion, Zhong Man, on his way to the final.
In the final match, he faced Diego Occhiuzzi from Italy. Áron started very strong, leading 7-0. He won the match 15-8, earning Hungary's first gold medal at those Games!
World Championships and More Medals
In 2013, the 2013 World Fencing Championships were held in his hometown, Budapest. Áron was even featured on the official poster! He won a bronze medal at this event. He finished the season as the world's second-best fencer, which was his highest ranking at that time.
In 2015, Áron won his first European title in Montreux. He then prepared for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He won his second Olympic gold medal there, beating Daryl Homer 15-8 in the final.
Making History in Tokyo (2020)
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Áron made history. He won his third individual Olympic gold medal! He beat Luigi Samele 15-7 in the final match. This made him the first male fencer ever to win three individual Olympic gold medals.
Recent Achievements
In 2022, Áron won another gold medal at the 2022 World Fencing Championships in Cairo, Egypt. In 2024, he received a special award called the World Fair Play Award. This was for his excellent sportsmanship during a competition in 2023.
At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Áron faced a tough challenge. He lost in the first round, which was his first Olympic individual loss since 2008. However, he still won a silver medal with his team.
Áron's Life Outside Fencing
Education and Interests
Áron is not just a great fencer; he's also very smart! He studied international relations at Eötvös Loránd University. He also has a degree in psychology from Károli Gáspár University. He can speak three languages: Hungarian, English, and French.
When he's not fencing, Áron enjoys learning about psychology. He also loves to travel, drink coffee, and try fine wines.
Family Life
In 2017, Áron married his longtime girlfriend, Betti. They had a son in 2023.
Helping Others and Awards
Community Work
Áron uses his fame to help others. He has been involved in many important projects:
- In 2013, he helped present an international literary prize.
- He became an ambassador for financial education, helping people learn about money.
- He has supported young talents through the MOL Talent Support Programme since 2006.
- He was a member and even president of the Athletes' Commission for the International Fencing Federation.
- He is a goodwill ambassador for the New Europe Foundation, helping with charity programs for young people.
- Since 2021, he has been part of the Hungarian Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission.
Special Awards
Áron has received many awards for his amazing achievements and good sportsmanship:
- Hungarian Sportsman of the Year: 2016, 2021
- Hungarian Junior Fencer of the Year: 2006, 2009
- Junior Príma award: 2010
- Hungarian Fencer of the Year: 2011, 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022 (seven times!)
- Honorary Citizen of Budapest: 2012
- FIE Fair Play Award: 2019
- Orders and special awards
Officer's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2012)
Commander's Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2016)
Grand Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit (2021)
Hungarian Order of Saint Stephen (2023)
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See also
In Spanish: Áron Szilágyi para niños
