Béla Rajki-Reich (2 February 1909 – 20 July 2000) was a Hungarian swimming and water polo coach.
Early life
Rajki was born in Budapest. He was a swimmer and a water polo player early in his life. He received coaching diplomas in swimming and diving, and was a lecturer at the Hungarian College of Physical Education and Sports.
Swimming and water polo coaching career
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.
He was head coach of the Hungarian 1948 Olympic Swimming Team, which won a gold medal (Eva Novak; 200m breaststroke). He coached the country's swimming and water polo Olympic teams of 1952 in Helsinki, Finland. His water polo team won a gold medal, and four swimmers won a gold medal. 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.
He was a Bureau member of Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) from 1952 to 1960, and a FINA vice president from 1960 to 1964. He was also a member of the International Water Polo Board from 1952 to 1964 (Chairman from 1960 to 1964). In 1996, at age 86, he was still a member of the Hungarian Olympic Committee.
Publications and honors
He authored The Techniques of Competitive Swimming (1956), Water Polo (1958), and Teaching to Swim, Learning to Swim (1978). He also wrote over 250 articles and periodical studies in the sport.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame honored him in 1996. He was also inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.
See also
- Hungary men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
- List of Olympic champions in men's water polo
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Blood in the Water match
References
- ^ "Bela Rajki (HUN) – 1996 Honor Contributor". ISHOF. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
- ^ "Bela Rajki-Reich". Jewishsports.net. Archived from the original on April 27, 2007. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- "Water Polo". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. November 19, 1956. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- "Technical Water Polo Committee". Fina.org. Archived from the original on September 1, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- Sharon Robb (March 17, 1996). "Edgar Gets Well-Deserved Spot In Hall". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 7, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
- Brian Berk (August 5, 1996). "Strug Earns Hall-of-Fame Honors". Jewish Post. Retrieved August 16, 2011.
Hungary men's water polo squad – 1952 Summer Olympics – Gold medal (3rd title) | ||
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Hungary men's water polo squad – 1956 Summer Olympics – Gold medal (4th title) | ||
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