Ferenc Szabó

Ferenc Szabó attended a sports school where he was introduced to judo. Between 1963 and 1983 he competed for the sports clubs Bp. Spartacus and Újpesti Dózsa. Szabó won his first national individual championship in the lightweight category in 1968. After that he mostly competed in the featherweight category, where he won three more individual championship titles. In Hungary he was named Judoka of the Year three times (1968, 1971, and 1977). From 1967 to 1979 Szabó was a member of the Hungarian national team. At the European Championships he won bronze in 1971 and silver in 1977, and he placed fifth twice. He participated in the 1972 Munich Olympics where he competed in the lightweight category, finishing in seventh place.

After ending his athletic career Szabó continued as a coach for Bp. Spartacus. Later he introduced the sport to hundreds of children in smaller clubs, and all of his own children were also connected to the sport: Franciska Szabó won a U23 European Championship title; Katinka Szabó earned bronze medals at the U23, junior, and youth European Championships; and Frigyes Szabó achieved a team bronze medal at the European Championship and a Grand Prix bronze medal. Even during his sports career he worked as a stuntman, and from 1983 onward he also competed in show jumping.