Erythronium Americanum

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

Olympic Games: Gold medal – 2000, 2004, 2008
World Championships: Gold medal – 2003; Silver medal – 1998, 2007; Bronze medal – 1991
European Championship: Gold medal – 1997; Silver medal – 1993, 1995; Bronze medal – 2001, 2003, 2008
FINA World League: Gold medal – 2003, 2004; Silver medal – 2007; Bronze medal – 2002
FINA World Cup: Gold medal – 1995; Silver medal – 1993, 2002; Bronze medal – 1997

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)

Hungarian Championship (4x): 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Hungarian Cup (2x): 1990–91, 1992–93
European Cup (1x): 1993–94
LEN Cup (1x): 1992–93
LEN Super Cup (1x): 1994

Racing Roma (INA Assitalia Roma)

Italian Championship (1x): 1998–99
LEN Cup Winners' Cup runners-up: 1996–97

Pro Recco

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

Bp. Honvéd (Domino-BHSE)

Hungarian Championship (3x): 2004–05, 2005–06
Hungarian Cup (1x): 2006
Hungarian Super Cup (1x): 2005

Pro Recco (Ferla Pro Recco)

Italian Championship (5x): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Italian Cup (4x): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
LEN Champions League (3x): 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12
LEN Super Cup (3x): 2007, 2008, 2010
Adriatic League (1x): 2011–12

As head coach

Hungary (2013–2016)

World Championships: Gold medal – 2013
European Championship: Silver medal – 2014; Bronze medal – 2016
FINA World League: Silver medal – 2013, 2014
FINA World Cup: Silver medal – 2014

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

References

^ ^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.
^ "Vízilabda: kiválasztották az új kapitányt, itt a Benedek-utód!". nemzetisport.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 31 July 2017.
^ Curcic, Ivan (18 June 2020). "Tibor Benedek passed away". total-waterpolo.com. Total Waterpolo.
^ ^a ^b "Tibor Benedek (HUN)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
^ "Legendary Water Polo Player and Coach Tibor Benedek Dies at Age 47". Hungary Today. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Maggie Steffens and Tibor Benedek are the Best Water Polo Players of the 21st Century". total-waterpolo.com.
^ "Olimpikonok kitüntetése a Parlamentben" (in Hungarian). Hungarian Olympic Committee. 29 August 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2012.

External links

Tibor Benedek at World Aquatics
Tibor Benedek at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
Tibor Benedek at Olympics.com
Tibor Benedek at Olympedia
Tibor Benedek at the Hungarian Olympic Committee (in Hungarian)
Tibor Benedek at kataca.hu (in Hungarian)

[Tibor_Benedek_SR-1] 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.

[Tibor_Benedek_ISHOF-4] "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.

[total-player-2020-6] "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.

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