Hungary at the Paralympics

Hungary at the
Paralympics
IPC codeHUN
NPCHungarian Paralympic Committee
Websitewww.hparalimpia.hu
Medals
Ranked 38th
Gold
38
Silver
55
Bronze
65
Total
158
Summer appearances
Winter appearances

Hungary made its Paralympic Games début at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, with a delegation of four athletes in track and field. Following another appearance in 1976 the country was then absent in 1980. The Hungarian delegation made a permanent return to the Summer Paralympics in 1984. Hungary first took part in the Winter Paralympics in 2002, and continuously attended the Winter Games through 2010. Hungary was absent from the 2014 Winter Games.[1]

Hungarians have won a total of 144 Paralympic medals (31 gold, 49 silver, 64 bronze), placing the country 38th on the all-time Paralympic Games medal table. All of these medals have been won at the Summer Games.[2]

Arguably Hungary's most successful Paralympian is Attila Jeszenszky, who won four gold medals in swimming at the 1984 Summer Games.[2] Hungary also boasts the only athlete in the world to have won medals at both the Paralympics and the Olympics. Fencer Pál Szekeres won a bronze medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics, before being disabled in a bus accident and beginning a Paralympic career in wheelchair fencing, which brought him six Paralympic medals - of which three gold.[3][4][5]

  1. ^ Hungary at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  2. ^ a b Hungary at the Paralympics, International Paralympic Committee
  3. ^ "Pal Szekeres : médaillé olympique et paralympique !", Radio Canada, September 23, 2004
  4. ^ "Hungarian Paralympic athlete Pal Szekeres's goal is to win gold" Archived 2008-09-06 at the Wayback Machine, Xinhua, September 3, 2008
  5. ^ "Mr. Pal Szekeres"[permanent dead link], International Paralympic Committee