Barcelona, 27 July 1992, Games of the XXV Olympiad: Tamas DARNYI of Hungary performs during the 400m individual medley. He won the gold medal and set an Olympic record of 4:14.23 minutes. Four days later he won a second gold medal in the 200m individual medley. Credit: Getty Images/Bob Martin
Born: 3 June 1967
Birthplace: Budapest (Hungary)
Nationality: Hungary
Sport: Aquatics
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Seoul 1988
Barcelona 1992
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 4
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 4 (86, 91)
Bronze: 1 (91)
The Greatest All-Around Swimmer
The most demanding of swimming events is the individual medley, in which the swimmer must use each of four strokes. The greatest medley swimmer in Olympic history is Tamás Darnyi of Hungary. When Darnyi was 15 years old, he lost the vision in his left eye as a result of being hit by an icy snowball three years earlier. Darnyi entered the 1988 Olympics as the world record holder in both the 200m and 400m medleys. In Seoul he won both races and set another world record in each. At the Barcelona Games in 1992, Darnyi successfully defended both of his Olympic titles and completed an eight-year stretch during which he was undefeated at either distance.