Sándor Gelle

Sándor Gelle started kayaking at the age of 13. In the 1936 unofficial Hungarian championship, which was the qualifier for the Olympic team, he won first place alongside Gábor Cseh in the K2 10,000 metres, so they earned the right to start the Olympics, albeit at their own expense. Due to brief preparation, they finished last in both in 1000 and 10000 metres.

At the end of his sporting career in 1941, Gelle founded the kayak division of the BSZKRT, and his pupils won the Hungarian championships multiple times. The recognition of his work is indicated by the fact that he was the first Hungarian coach to receive an offer abroad: in 1949 he laid the foundations for Soviet kayak-canoe sport in Moskva.

After his return, Gelle worked in the kayak division of Budapest Elöre for three years, then from 1953 coached at the Újpest Dózsa and became the coach of the national team. As a coach, the first great success of the Hungarian kayak-canoe team, the 1954 World Championships in Macon, is credited to Gelle’s leadership, from which they returned home with six gold medals. In 1960, he took part in the Rome Olympics as head coach, where his competitors won one gold, three silver, and two bronze medals. In 1961, he was awarded the title of master coach for his outstanding work. In 1968 he compiled a handbook entitled Kayaking, Canoeing, which also contained international rules.