Dániel Gyurta

Dániel Gyurta (; born 4 May 1989) is a Hungarian former competitive swimmer who mainly competed in the 200-metre breaststroke. In 2016, Gyurta became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he is a member of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) Athletes' Commission since 2013 and a member of the Athletes Commission since 2016.

Biography Gyurta was born in Budapest. When he was 15 years old, he won a silver medal (with 2.10.80) in the men's 200-metre breaststroke at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

His coaches are Sándor Széles, Ferenc Kovácshegyi and Balázs Virth. On 12 August 2008 he set an Olympic record in the preliminaries of the 200-metre breaststroke at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. His record was broken one day later by Kitajima in the semi-finals. Gyurta finished fifth in the final.

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships he won gold medal in 200 m breaststroke, edging out Eric Shanteau in the last meters. He was named Hungarian Sportsman of the year for this achievement.

Two years later Gyurta retained the gold medal at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, thus becoming the second man to defend the world title on 200 metre breaststroke after David Wilkie of Great Britain, who won the first two world titles, in 1973 and 1975.

At the 2012 London Olympics he won the gold medal and set a new world record for the 200 m breaststroke. After the race, he offered a replica of his Olympic medal to the parents of his former competitor Alexander Dale Oen in tribute to him, a gesture much appreciated by Dale's family. Dale had died on 30 April 2012, a few months before the Games. Later, Gyurta received the international Fair Play Award from UNESCO, in respect of his medal tribute of a fallen fellow breaststroker: Alexander Dale Oen.

His younger brother, Gergely Gyurta is also a competitive swimmer.

Personal bests In long course swim pools Gyurta's bests are:

100 m breaststroke: 59.53 (29 July 2012, London) Hungarian Record 200 m breaststroke: 2:07.23 (2 August 2013, Barcelona) Championship Record, European Record

In short course pools Gyurta's best's are:

50 m breaststroke: 27.00 (10 December 2009) Hungarian Record 100 m breaststroke: 56.72 (11 December 2009, Istanbul) Hungarian Record 200 m breaststroke: 2:00.48 (31 August 2014, Dubai) Former World Record

Awards

Hungarian swimmer of the Year (5): 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 Hungarian Junior Athlete of the Year (2) - the National Sports Association (NSSZ) awards: 2004, 2007 Junior Príma award (2008) Hungarian Sportsman of the Year (3) - votes of sports journalists: 2009, 2012, 2013

Best Youth Hungarian Athlete of the year (1) - the National Sports Association (NSSZ) awards: 2011 Best Hungarian Junior Sportman of the Year (Héraklész) (1): 2011

UNESCO Fair Play Award (2013) Swimming World Magazine – European Swimmer of the Year (1): 2013 Hungarian university athlete of the year (1): 2015 Honorary Citizen of Újpest (2016)