János Garay (fencer)
Encyclopedia
János Garay was a Hungarian fencer
, and one of the best sabre fencers in the world in the 1920s.
Championship gold medal
.
He also he won a team sabre gold medal at the 1930 European Championships. The European Championships were predecessor to the World Championships, first held in 1937.
for team saber at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He also won the bronze medal
in the individual saber, winning 5 of 7 matches in the finals, including a victory over fellow Hungarian (and teammate) Zoltan Ozoray Schenker
.
He also won a gold medal
in team saber at the 1928 Amsterdam
Games.
The Hungarian team, which included fellow International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
rs, Attila Petschauer
and Sándor Gombos
, went undefeated in the competition. They defeated the United States (14–2) and Great Britain (13–3) in the elimination round, beat Germany (12–4) and France (12–4) in the semifinals, and in the finals beat Poland (14–2) and Italy (9–7). Garay won 10 of his 12 bouts.
Garay was killed shortly thereafter, in 1945, in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, shortly before the end of World War II
.
, Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel.
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
, and one of the best sabre fencers in the world in the 1920s.
European and World Championships
In 1925 and 1930, Garay captured the Individual European SabreSabre
The sabre or saber is a kind of backsword that usually has a curved, single-edged blade and a rather large hand guard, covering the knuckles of the hand as well as the thumb and forefinger...
Championship gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
.
He also he won a team sabre gold medal at the 1930 European Championships. The European Championships were predecessor to the World Championships, first held in 1937.
Olympics
He won silver medalSilver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
for team saber at the 1924 Paris Olympics. He also won the bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
in the individual saber, winning 5 of 7 matches in the finals, including a victory over fellow Hungarian (and teammate) Zoltan Ozoray Schenker
Zoltán Ozoray Schenker
Zoltán Ozoray Schenker was a Hungarian sabre and foil fencer.-Fencing career:Born in Váradszentmárton, Hungary, in the 1910s and 1920s Schenker was one of Hungary's top fencers when the country was known as the best fencing nation in the world.-Olympics:He appeared in three Olympiads, winning 3...
.
He also won a gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
in team saber at the 1928 Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
Games.
The Hungarian team, which included fellow International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
rs, Attila Petschauer
Attila Petschauer
Attila Petschauer was a Jewish Hungarian Olympic fencer.-Fencing career:Born in Budapest, Petschauer was a member of the Hungarian fencing team in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics...
and Sándor Gombos
Sándor Gombos
Dr. Sándor Gombos was a Hungarian fencer.-World Championships:...
, went undefeated in the competition. They defeated the United States (14–2) and Great Britain (13–3) in the elimination round, beat Germany (12–4) and France (12–4) in the semifinals, and in the finals beat Poland (14–2) and Italy (9–7). Garay won 10 of his 12 bouts.
Concentration Camp and Death
He was one of 437,000 Jews deported from Hungary after Germany occupied the country in 1944.Garay was killed shortly thereafter, in 1945, in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria, shortly before the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Hall of Fame
Garay, who was Jewish, was inducted in 1990 into The International Jewish Sports Hall of FameInternational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
The International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
, Wingate Institute, Netanya, Israel.