Béla Rajki

Béla Rajki-Reich (February 2, 1909 – July 20, 2000) was a Hungarian swimming coach and water polo coach.[1][2]

Early life

Rajki was born in Budapest.[1] He was a swimmer and a water polo player early in his life.[1] He received coaching diplomas in swimming and diving, and was a lecturer at the Hungarian College of Physical Education and Sports.[1]

Swimming and water polo coaching career

With Béla Komjádi, he helped make Hungary a world-dynasty in water polo.[1][2][3] From 1948–67 he was director of Hungary's National Sport Swimming Pool, and from 1947–73 he was technical director and national coach of the Hungarian Swimming and Water Polo Teams.[1][2]

He was head coach of the Hungarian 1948 Olympic Swimming Team, which won a gold medal (Eva Novak; 200m breaststroke).[1] He coached the country's swimming and water polo Olympic teams of 1952 in Helsinki, Finland.[1] His water polo team won a gold medal, and four swimmers won a gold medal.[1] In 1956, he coached the water polo team which won a gold medal, and the team won a silver medal in 1972 at the Munich Olympics.[1][2][4]

He was a Bureau member of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) from 1952 to 1960, and a FINA vice president from 1960 to 1964.[1][5] He was also a member of the International Water Polo Board from 1952 to 1964 (Chairman from 1960 to 1964).[1] In 1996, at age 86, he was still a member of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.[1][2]

Publications and honors

He authored The Techniques of Competitive Swimming (1956), Water Polo (1958), and Teaching to Swim, Learning to Swim (1978).[1] He also wrote over 250 articles and periodical studies in the sport.[1][2]

The International Swimming Hall of Fame honored him in 1996.[1][6] He was also inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[2][7]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "Bela Rajki (HUN) – 1996 Honor Contributor". ISHOF. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Bela Rajki-Reich". Jewishsports.net. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  3. ↑ Anna Szalai (2002). In the land of Hagar: the Jews of Hungary: history, society and culture. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ "Water Polo". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. November 19, 1956. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  5. ↑ "Technical Water Polo Committee". Fina.org. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  6. ↑ Sharon Robb (March 17, 1996). "Edgar Gets Well-Deserved Spot In Hall". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
  7. ↑ Brian Berk (August 5, 1996). "Strug Earns Hall-of-Fame Honors". Jewish Post. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
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