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Dániel Gyurta (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈdaːniɛl ˈɟurtɒ]; born 4 May 1989) is a Hungarian competitive swimmer who mainly competes in the 200-metre breaststroke.
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 August 12, 2008 he set an Olympic record in the preliminaries of the 200-metre breaststroke at the 2008 Olympics 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 successfully retained the gold medal at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, thus becoming only 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 200m 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 died 30 April 2012, only a few months before the Games began. Later, Gyurta received the international Fair Play Award from UNESCO, in respect of his medal tribute of a fallen fellow breaststroker: Alexander Dale Oen.
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
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Knight's Cross (2004)- 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
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Officer's Cross (2010)- 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
Order of Merit of Hungary – Commander's Cross (2012)- 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)
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Knight's Cross (2004)
Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary – Officer's Cross (2010)
Order of Merit of Hungary – Commander's Cross (2012)