Tibor Benedek

Tibor Benedek (12 July 1972 – 18 June 2020) was a Hungarian professional water polo player and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He played on the gold medal squads at the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics. Benedek also competed at the 1992 and 1996 Summer Olympics, where the Hungarian team placed 6th and 4th, respectively.
Benedek was the head coach of Hungary men's national water polo team between 2013 and 2016.
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 an actor.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest water polo players of all time, Benedek ranks second on the all-time scoring list in Olympic history, with 65 goals. He was the joint top goalscorer at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with 22 goals, and the top goalscorer at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, with 19 goals. Benedek is the ninth player to compete in water polo at five Olympics, and one of ten male athletes who won three Olympic gold medals in water polo. In 2016, he was inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Tibor Benedek died on 18 June 2020 due to pancreatic cancer. His death was announced by the Hungarian Water Polo Federation.
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
Újpest
Hungarian Championship (4x): 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95
Hungarian Cup (2x): 1990–91, 1992–93
European Cup (1x): 1993–94
LEN Cup (1x): 1992–93
LEN Super Cup (1x): 1994
Racing Roma
Italian Championship (1x): 1998–99
LEN Cup Winners' Cup runners-up: 1996–97
Pro Recco
Italian Championship (1x): 2001–02
LEN Euroleague (1x): 2002–03
Bp. Honvéd
Hungarian Championship (3x): 2004–05, 2005–06
Hungarian Cup (1x): 2006
Hungarian Super Cup (1x): 2005
Pro Recco
Italian Championship (5x): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2011–12
Italian Cup (4x): 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
LEN Champions League (3x): 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12
LEN Super Cup (3x): 2007, 2008, 2010
Adriatic League (1x): 2011–12
As head coach
(2013–2016)
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
Total-waterpolo magazine's man water polo "World Player of the Year's2000–20" award
Member of the Best Team of the Year's in the World by total-waterpolo 2000–20
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
Honorary Citizen of Budapest (2008)
Hungarian head coach of the Year: 2013
Member of International Swimming Hall of Fame (2016)
Orders
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)
See also
Hungary men's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
List of players who have appeared in multiple men's Olympic water polo tournaments
List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
List of Olympic champions in men's water polo
List of Olympic medalists in water polo (men)
List of men's Olympic water polo tournament top goalscorers
List of world champions in men's water polo
List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in water polo
List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
References
External links
Tibor Benedek at kataca.hu
1972 births
2020 deaths
Water polo players from Budapest
Hungarian male water polo players
Water polo drivers
Left-handed water polo players
Water polo players at the 1992 Summer Olympics
Water polo players at the 1996 Summer Olympics
Water polo players at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Water polo players at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Water polo players at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Olympic gold medalists for Hungary in water polo
Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
World Aquatics Championships medalists in water polo
Hungarian water polo coaches
Hungary men's national water polo team coaches
Water polo coaches at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Deaths from cancer in Hungary
Deaths from pancreatic cancer
20th-century Hungarian people
21st-century Hungarian people