Tibor Benedek
Quick Facts
Biography
Tibor Benedek (born 12 July 1972 in Budapest) is a retired Hungarian water polo player, who played in the gold medal squads at the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics. Benedek also competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics, where the Hungarian team was placed 4th. He was a member of team Domino-Honvéd.
Benedek is currently the head coach of Hungary men's national water polo team since 2013.
Benedek was named Hungarian Water Polo Player of the Year in 1992, 1993 and 1994. He made his debut for the national side in 1990. His father, Miklós Benedek, is a famous actor.
Club career
Clubs
- KSI SE (1980–1989)
- Újpesti TE-Office & Home (1989–1996)
- Roma Nuoto (1996–2001)
- Pro Recco (2001–2004)
- Domino-Honvéd (2004–2007)
- Pro Recco (2007–2012) 2x
Benedek has additionally had summer league club stints in Malta with Sliema (2006), respectively.
Honours
As player
National
- Olympic Games: Gold medal - 2000, 2004, 2008
- World Championships: Gold medal - 2003; Silver medal - 1998, 2007; Bronze medal - 1991
- European Championship: Gold medal - 1997; Silver medal - 1993, 1995; Bronze medal - 2001, 2003, 2008
- FINA World League: Gold medal - 2003, 2004; Silver medal - 2007; Bronze medal - 2002
- FINA World Cup: Gold medal - 1995; Silver medal - 1993, 2002; Bronze medal - 1997
384 present in the national team of Hungary
- Junior World Championships: (Bronze medal - 1991)
- Junior European Championship: (Bronze medal - 1990)
- Youth European Championship: (Gold medal - 1989)
Club
- Hungarian Championship (OB I): 6x (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995 - with UTE; 2005, 2006 - with Bp. Honvéd)
- Hungarian Cup (Magyar Kupa): 3x (1991, 1993 - with UTE; 2006 - with Bp. Honvéd)
- Hungarian SuperCup (Szuperkupa): 1x (2005 - with Bp. Honvéd)
- Italian Championship (Serie A1): 7x (1999 - with AS Roma; 2002, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 - with Pro Recco)
- Italian Cup: 5x (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 - with Pro Recco)
- Adriatic League: 1x (2012 - with Pro Recco)
- Euroleague Winners (5): (1994 - with UTE; 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 - with Pro Recco)
- LEN Cup Winners (1): (1993 - with UTE)
- LEN Super Cup Winner (5): (1994 - with UTE; 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 - with Pro Recco)
As head coach
Hungary (from 2 November 2012– )
- World Championships: Gold medal - 2013
- European Championship: Silver medal - 2014; Bronze medal - 2016
- FINA World League: Silver medal - 2013, 2014
- FINA World Cup: Silver medal - 2014
Awards
- Masterly youth athlete: 1991
- Hungarian Water Polo Player of the Year: 1992, 1993, 1994, 2002
- Member of the Hungarian team of year: 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008
- Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2000)
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (2004)
- Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary with the Star (2008)
- Honorary Citizen of Budapest (2008)
- Hungarian head coach of the Year: 2013
- Member of International Swimming Hall of Fame (2015)
- "Olimpikonok kitüntetése a Parlamentben" (in Hungarian). Hungarian Olympic Committee. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2012.