October 1956: a portrait picture of Aladar GEREVICH the Hungarian fencer, seven times Olympic champion in sabre (individual and team). Credit: Getty Images Hulton/Archive
Other names: GEREVICH, Aladar (Gerey)
Born: 16 March 1910
Deceased: 14 May 1991
Birthplace: Jaszbereny (Hungary)
Nationality: Hungary
Sport: Fencing
ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES
Los Angeles 1932
Berlin 1936
London 1948
Helsinki 1952
Melbourne / Stockholm 1956
Rome 1960
AWARDS
Olympic medals:
Gold: 7
Silver: 1
Bronze: 2
Other results:
World Championships
Gold: 9 (37, 51, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58)
Silver: 2 (53, 59)
Bronze: 2 (53, 54)
Six Straight Sabre Successes
Aladar Gerevich is the only athlete in any sport to win the same Olympic event six times. Indeed, he is the only athlete to earn gold medals in six different Olympics. A specialist in sabre fencing, Gerevich's record probably would have been even more extraordinary if his career had not been interrupted when World War II forced the cancellation of two Olympics. Gerevich made his first Olympic appearance at the 1932 Los Angeles Games when he was 22 years old, earning his first gold medal as a member of Hungary's sabre team. At the 1936 Berlin Games, Gerevich scored 17 wins against only 2 losses to lead the Hungarians to victory in the team sabre event. He then earned a bronze medal in the individual sabre. He also competed in the team foil event, placing seventh. After the war, Gerevich returned to the 1948 Olympics stronger than ever. Not only did he win another gold medal in the team sabre and place fifth in the team foil, he earned the gold medal in the individual sabre with a record of 19 wins and only one loss. At the 1952 Helsinki Games, Gerevich won a complete set of medals: bronze in team foil, gold in team sabre and silver in individual sabre. In 1956, Gerevich placed fifth in the individual sabre and again helped extend the Hungarian winning streak in the team sabre. He made his final Olympic appearance at the 1960 Rome Games - at the age of 50 - earning yet another gold medal in the team sabre. Gerevich's wife, Erna Bogen, his son, Pal Gerevich, and his father-in-law, Albert Bogen, were also Olympic medalists.