Antal Lippay

Antal Lippay began his athletics career in 1941 with the PAC, then moved to PVSK in 1946, achieving his first successes in the 110 metres hurdles. At first Lippay was averse to the 400 metres, but when he won this distance at an international competition in Bucharest in 1949, it became his main discipline, going on to break the Hungarian record four times. He was at his best in 1956 when he achieved 52.2 seconds in a domestic competition, a record that stood for 11 years.

Lippay competed 32 times for the Hungarian national team. In 1952 he participated in the 400 metres hurdles at the Olympics held in Helsinki. He was unlucky as in the semi-finals there was a three-way tie for 3rd, 4th, and 5th place, with a time of 53 seconds. Based on the photo finish Lippay ultimately missed the final. Two years later at the 1954 European Championships in Bern he finished in sixth place, setting a new Hungarian record.

Lippay’s athletic career ended in 1960 with an appendectomy at the age of 37. Later he became the coach, technical director, and administrator of the track athletes. When he transferred to the PVSK as an athlete, he got a job at the Hungarian Railway, where he worked until 1984.

Personal Best: 400H – 52.2 (1956).