Dániel Gyurta is a Hungarian swimmer and former Olympic record holder in the 200m breaststroke set on August 12, 2008. Also known as Dani, he was only 15 years old when he won a silver medal (with 2.10.80) in the men's 200m breaststroke

Breaststroke

The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...

 at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games

Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metre breaststroke

These are the results of the Men's 100 metre breaststroke, one of sixteen events for male competitors in Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.-Records:-Medalists:-Heat 1:# Bradley Ally, Barbados 2:18.64...

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Gyurta, unlike his rivals Brendan Hansen

Brendan Hansen

Brendan Joseph Hansen is an American breaststroke swimmer and four-time Olympic medalist...

 and Kosuke Kitajima

Kosuke Kitajima

is a Japanese multiple Olympic gold medalist breaststroke swimmer. He won gold medals for the men's 100 m and 200 m breaststroke at both the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.-Major achievements:...

 in the 200m breaststroke in Athens, swims a relaxed and slow first 100 and sprints the second 100 meters. Hansen and Kitajima "go out hard and fast and try to hold on for comeback", but Gyurta "swims a completely different race. Goes out slowly and then comes back like a train".

On August 12, 2008 he set an Olympic record in the preliminaries of the 200m breaststroke at the 2008 Olympics Games

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held over a thirteen day period from August 9 to August 21, with the conventional events ending on August 17 and the new marathon 10 km events being held on August 20 and 21...

 in Beijing. His record was broken one day later by Kitajima in the semi-finals.

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships

2009 World Aquatics Championships

The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...

 he won gold medal in 200m breaststroke, edging out Eric Shanteau

Eric Shanteau

Eric Lee Shanteau is an American Olympic swimmer. He lives and trains in Austin, Texas.-College:...

 in the last meters. He was named Hungarian Sportsman of the year for this achievement.

Two years later Gyurta successfully retained the gold medal at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships

2011 World Aquatics Championships

The 14th FINA World Championships were held at July 16–31, 2011 in Shanghai, China at the Shanghai Oriental Sports Center. The 2011 World Championships featured five aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, open water, and synchronised swimming...

, thus becoming only the second man to defend the world title on 200 metre breaststroke after David Wilkie

David Wilkie (swimmer)

David Andrew Wilkie MBE is a Scottish former swimmer, who was Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion in the 1970s.He is a member of the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame.-Biography:...

 of Great Britain.

Studies

Currently studies economics at the Budapest College of Communication and Business

Budapest College of Communication and Business

The Budapest College of Communication and Business is an accredited private institute of higher education in Budapest, Hungary. The college offered regular and correspondence BA courses in business communication, international communication, a joint degree in communication and European public...

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External links

• Swim Rankings profile