Szokolyi first competed in the 100 metres dash. He came in second in the heats, with a time of 12.75, and advanced to the final. There, Szokolyi was one of four athletes to come in at 12.6 seconds. The officials ruled that he and Francis Lane of the United States, who had beat Szokolyi in the heats, had finished in a dead heat for third place; Alexandros Khalkokondilis of Greece was ruled to have been slightly behind them. Szokolyi and Lane are currently considered to split the bronze medal for the event (no medals were awarded at the 1896 Olympics) by the International Olympic Committee. Szokolyi placed fourth in the triple jump, with a best effort of 11.26 metres.