Bela Rajki: An emblematic Hungarian coach

With only a few short breaks between 1947 and 1973, Bela Rajki was National coach and technical director of Hungary’s swimming and water polo teams. He coached Hungary’s Olympic swim team in 1948, Olympic swim and Water Polo teams in 1952, and Water Polo in 1956 and 1972. His swimmers captured four gold medals in 1952, as well as an assortment of silver and bronze honors. His Water Polo teams won gold medals in Helsinki 1952 and Melbourne 1956 and a silver medal in Munich 1972. While heading Hungarian water sports, Rajki-Reich also held leading positions in the international swimming and water polo community. He was president of the Ligue Europeenne de Natation (LEN) 1958 to 1962, vice president of LEN from 1954 to 1958, chairman of International Water Polo Board from 1960 to 1964, and vice president of Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur from1960 to 1964.
Photo: 1956; Ahol mi gyoztunk; Csurka Gergely and Gyarmati Dezso. Source: www.jewishsports.net/biopages/BelaRajki-Reich.htm