The Most Famous
GYMNASTS from Hungary
Top 10
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary Hungarian Gymnasts of all time. This list of famous Hungarian Gymnasts is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of Hungarian Gymnasts.
1. Ágnes Keleti (b. 1921)
With an HPI of 59.35, Ágnes Keleti is the most famous Hungarian Gymnast. Her biography has been translated into 33 different languages on wikipedia.
Ágnes Keleti (née Klein; born 9 January 1921) is a Hungarian retired Olympic and world champion artistic gymnast and coach. She is the oldest living Olympic champion and medallist, reaching her 100th birthday on 9 January 2021. While representing Hungary at the Summer Olympics, she won 10 Olympic medals including five gold medals, three silver medals, and two bronze medals, and is considered to be one of the most successful Jewish Olympic athletes of all time. Keleti holds more Olympic medals than any other individual with Israeli citizenship, and more Olympic medals than any other Jew, except Mark Spitz. She was the most successful athlete at the 1956 Summer Olympics. In 1957, Keleti immigrated to Israel, where she lived before returning to Hungary in 2015.
2. István Pelle (1907 - 1986)
With an HPI of 46.17, István Pelle is the 2nd most famous Hungarian Gymnast. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
István Pelle (26 July 1907 – 6 March 1986) was a Hungarian gymnast and Olympic champion. He competed at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles where he received gold medals in floor exercises and pommel horse, and silver medals in parallel bars and individual all-around. He also competed at the 1936 Berlin Summer Olympics, finishing 18th in the all-around competition. He was also quite successful at various World Championship competition during this time - at the 1930 Worlds, he won individual gold on the horizontal bar apparatus, and at the 1931 Worlds, he won individual gold on the parallel bars apparatus. After World War II, he left Hungary, toured as an artist, and eventually settled in Argentina.
3. Olga Tass (1929 - 2020)
With an HPI of 45.57, Olga Tass is the 3rd most famous Hungarian Gymnast. Her biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Olga Tass (married name Lemhényi; 29 March 1929 – 10 July 2020) was a Hungarian gymnast who competed at the 1948, 1952, 1956, and 1960 Summer Olympics. She was born in Pécs.
4. Ottó Hellmich (1874 - 1937)
With an HPI of 44.43, Ottó Hellmich is the 4th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Ottó Hellmich (6 April 1874 – 2 July 1937) was a Hungarian gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was part of the Hungarian team, which won the silver medal in the gymnastics men's team, European system event in 1912.
5. Erzsébet Gulyás-Köteles (1924 - 2019)
With an HPI of 44.36, Erzsébet Gulyás-Köteles is the 5th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. Her biography has been translated into 18 different languages.
Erzsébet Gulyás-Köteles (3 November 1924 – 16 June 2019) was a Hungarian gymnast who competed in the 1948, 1952, and 1956 Summer Olympics. In 1948 she competed at the Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the team competition. At the 1952 Olympic Games, Gulyás-Köteles won a silver medal with the Hungarian team. At her third Olympic Games, she won a gold medal in the team portable apparatus, as well as a silver in the team final. Gulyás-Köteles died in June 2019 in Budapest at the age of 94.
6. Gyula Kakas (1878 - 1928)
With an HPI of 43.52, Gyula Kakas is the 6th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Gyula Kakas (also known as Gyula Kokas; March 28, 1875 – February 25, 1928) was a Hungarian gymnast. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens. Kakas competed in the parallel bars, horizontal bar, vault, and pommel horse individual events. He did not win any medals in those competitions, though his exact place in each is unknown.
7. Zoltán Magyar (b. 1953)
With an HPI of 43.26, Zoltán Magyar is the 7th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. Her biography has been translated into 23 different languages.
Zoltán Magyar (born 13 December 1953) is a Hungarian former gymnast who was the world's leading pommel horse gymnast in the 1970s. In this event he won two Olympic, three world, three European and two World Cup titles. Magyar had two moves named after him, the Magyar spindle (turning the body in the opposite direction from the circling legs) and the Magyar travel (crosswise circling travel down the horse). He won the Olympic gold in 1976 and 1980, world championships gold in 1974, 1978 and 1979, European championships gold in 1973, 1975 and 1977; and World Cup gold in 1975 and 1978. His largest margin of victory came at the 1978 World Championships, which he won by 0.375 points. For his achievements he was named Hungarian Sportsman of the year in 1974, 1978 and 1980. In major all-around competitions, Magyar was ubiquitous but less successful. In Olympic all-around finals, he placed 29th in 1972, ninth in 1976 and ninth in 1980. In world championship all-arounds, he was 15th in 1974, 12th in 1978 and 18th in 1979. Magyar retired after the 1980 Olympics. Since his departure, he has focused on his lifelong goal as a veterinarian. He currently operates a vet hospital and still resides in Budapest. In May 2012, Magyar was inducted to the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
8. Samu Fóti (1890 - 1916)
With an HPI of 43.13, Samu Fóti is the 8th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Samu Fóti (17 May 1890 in Budapest – 17 June 1916 in Lipové) was a Hungarian gymnast who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was Jewish. He was part of the Hungarian team, which won the silver medal in the gymnastics men's team, European system event in 1912. He also competed in the men's discus throw at the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during World War I.
9. Henrietta Ónodi (b. 1974)
With an HPI of 37.02, Henrietta Ónodi is the 9th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. Her biography has been translated into 21 different languages.
Henrietta Ónodi (born May 22, 1974) is a Hungarian artistic gymnast. She competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and won a gold and a silver medal in 1992. After retiring from gymnastics in 1997 she moved to the United States, married American Olympic pentathlete Jimbo Haley, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. In 2010, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.
10. Szilveszter Csollány (1970 - 2022)
With an HPI of 36.03, Szilveszter Csollány is the 10th most famous Hungarian Gymnast. His biography has been translated into 20 different languages.
Szilveszter Csollány (Hungarian: [ˈsilvɛstɛr ˈt͡ʃollaːɲ]; 13 April 1970 – 24 January 2022) was a Hungarian gymnast who won gold in the men's rings at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.
People
Pantheon has 12 people classified as Hungarian gymnasts born between 1874 and 2003. Of these 12, 5 (41.67%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Hungarian gymnasts include Ágnes Keleti, Zoltán Magyar, and Henrietta Ónodi. The most famous deceased Hungarian gymnasts include István Pelle, Olga Tass, and Ottó Hellmich. As of April 2024, 3 new Hungarian gymnasts have been added to Pantheon including Ottó Hellmich, Gyula Kakas, and Zója Székely.
Living Hungarian Gymnasts
Go to all Rankings
Ágnes Keleti
1921 - Present
HPI: 59.35
Zoltán Magyar
1953 - Present
HPI: 43.26
Henrietta Ónodi
1974 - Present
HPI: 37.02
Krisztián Berki
1985 - Present
HPI: 30.15
Zója Székely
2003 - Present
HPI: 0.00
Deceased Hungarian Gymnasts
Go to all RankingsIstván Pelle
1907 - 1986
HPI: 46.17
Olga Tass
1929 - 2020
HPI: 45.57
Ottó Hellmich
1874 - 1937
HPI: 44.43
Erzsébet Gulyás-Köteles
1924 - 2019
HPI: 44.36
Gyula Kakas
1878 - 1928
HPI: 43.52
Samu Fóti
1890 - 1916
HPI: 43.13
Szilveszter Csollány
1970 - 2022
HPI: 36.03
Newly Added Hungarian Gymnasts (2024)
Go to all RankingsOttó Hellmich
1874 - 1937
HPI: 44.43
Gyula Kakas
1878 - 1928
HPI: 43.52
Zója Székely
2003 - Present
HPI: 0.00
Overlapping Lives
Which Gymnasts were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 7 most globally memorable Gymnasts since 1700.
