Gyula Kánásy began his sports career in 1928 as a swimmer with the OTE club. By 1931 he switched to compete for MAC. He participated at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, but not at 100m freestyle, his favorite distance, but instead at 400m freestyle. His name was printed, by mistake, in the programme as Kanashi so the audience thought he was a Japanese contestant. But only until the end of the first length when it became apparent that he was not at the same standard as the Japanese entrants.
In addition to swimming, however, he also played in the water polo team of MAC. Kánásy was so successful in water polo, that in 1938 he was a member of the Hungarian team that won the gold medal at the European Championship. From 1937 to 1940, he appeared in the national team a total of seven times before ending his water polo career in 1942. He obtained a doctorate in law and until 1944 he was an employee and head of department at Fővárosi Gázművek (Budapest Gas Factory). After World War II, he worked as a water polo coach. Kánásy settled in California in 1956.
Hungary