- Krisztina Egerszegi
Infobox Swimmer
swimmername = Krisztina Egerszegi
imagesize =
caption =
fullname = Krisztina Egerszegi
nicknames = Egér
nationality = HUN
strokes = backstroke, individual medley
club = Budapest Spartacus SC
collegeteam =
birthdate = birth date and age|df=yes|1974|8|16
birthplace =Budapest ,Hungary
deathdate =
deathplace =
height = 5'9" (174 cm)
weight = convert|126|lb|kg
show-medals = yes
medaltemplates =Krisztina Egerszegi [IPA|ˈkristinɒ ˈɛgɛrsɛgi] (born 16 August 1974) is a Hungarian former swimmer, one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern era. She became the youngest ever female
Olympic champion in swimming when she won the 200 m backstroke in the1988 Summer Olympics at the age of 14 years and 41 days. This record was broken in 1992 byKyoko Iwasaki (Japan ).Biography
Krisztina Egerszegi was born in
Budapest in 1974.Between 1988 and 1996 she won 5 Olympic
gold medal s which was a record for a swimmer for individual goldmedal wins. This record has since been broken byMichael Phelps , who has to date won 9 individual gold medals.She is the second of only two swimmers in Olympic history (
Dawn Fraser being the other) to win gold for the same event at three successive Olympics (200 m backstroke: 1988, 1992, 1996).Her nickname was "Egér" ("Mouse"), a play on her surname, because of her youthfulness and physical size.
Impact on the Hungarian culture
Her 1988 winning in Seoul became on of the biggest tv-moments in Hungary. The infamous phrase "Come on Mouse, come on little girl" by Tamás Vitray, who was the speaker on the air, is part of the popular culture. Egerszegi is still the role model of the "champion" in the country.
Achievements
See also
*
List of swimmers
*International Swimming Hall of Fame External links
* [http://egerszegi.webcindario.com Krisztina Egerszegi Fansite]
* [http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/heroes/bio_uk.asp?PAR_I_ID=63691 Krisztina Egerszegi - IOC website]
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