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Zsuzsanna Vörös

A colossal haul of medals is the glittering legacy of the career of Hungary’s greatest female pentathlete, Zsuzsanna Vörös.

From 1998 to 2009 she won 16 medals at the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships, including an individual gold in 1999 and two more – in succession – in 2003 and 2004. At the European Championships she stockpiled another 13 medals as part of a formidable Hungarian unit. And in 2004, she took the greatest prize in the sport back to her home city of Székesfehérvár.

Zsuzsanna Vörös's biography

A colossal haul of medals is the glittering legacy of the career of Hungary’s greatest female pentathlete, Zsuzsanna Vörös.

From 1998 to 2009 she won 16 medals at the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships, including an individual gold in 1999 and two more – in succession – in 2003 and 2004. At the European Championships she stockpiled another 13 medals as part of a formidable Hungarian unit. And in 2004, she took the greatest prize in the sport back to her home city of Székesfehérvár.

At the Olympic Games in Athens, Vörös (HUN) was a clear favourite for gold after those two consecutive world titles. She wore the pressure like a comfortable robe, taking the lead early, performing consistently well in all events and keeping all of her rivals at bay until she eventually won by 17 seconds from silver medallist Jelena Rublevska (LAT), even carrying a Hungarian flag during the late stages of the run.

Vörös (HUN) started out in sport as a swimmer, but in 1991 she took up pentathlon and made her World Cup debut as a teenager in 1994. Having proved her calibre with the world title in 1999, it was perhaps a surprise that she finished back in 15th at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games but the disappointment did not deter her. Many years of prolific success followed, and she was recognised with many accolades including the title of Hungarian Sportswoman of the Year in 2005. After retiring, Vörös (HUN) became a highly-respected pentathlon coach and administrator.