Lajos Gönczy

Lajos Gönczy graduated from secondary school in 1899 and then studied law at Pázmány Péter University. While in Budapest he joined the Budapesti Egyetemi Atlétikai Club (BEAC). Gönczy competed at three Olympics as a high jumper. He was Hungarian Champion in the high jump in 1904 and 1905, and in 1904 broke the Hungarian record with an effort of 1.82 m. Gönczy retired from athletics in 1910 and returned to his hometown of Szeged where he became a magistrate.

At the beginning of World War I Gönczy was mobilized with the 46th Honved Infantry Brigade, and was sent to the Italian front. He was killed during the Battle of Galicia and buried in the 17th division cemetery in the Vallone Valley. In the 1930s the graveyard was removed to make way for a housing development and nothing is known of what became of the buried remains, including Gönczy’s.

Personal Best: HJ – 1.82 (1902).