Tibor Pézsa

Tibor Pézsa took up fencing in the early 1950s and quickly rose to become one of Hungary’s all-time best sabre fencers. He won his first national title with the team in 1959, but would have to wait until 1967 to earn his first individual one. In-between, he took individual bronze in 1961 and 1965, team silver at the 1962 World Championships, and team bronze at the 1963 edition. He also had his greatest triumph in winning the individual title at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, while coming fifth with the team. At the 1966 World Championships, he won team gold and individual silver, while in 1967 he captured team silver and individual bronze.

After winning both titles at the national championships in 1968, Pézsa travelled to that year’s Mexico City Olympics, where he took bronze in both events. He was the individual national champion in 1969 and 1970, as well as the individual champion and team runner-up at the Worlds in the latter year. In 1971 he was the World team silver medalist, while in 1971 and 1972 he was the national runner-up in the individual category. He attended his final edition of the Olympics in the latter year, capturing another bronze with the team, before retiring from active competition.

Afterwards Pézsa worked domestically and abroad in Germany and Saudi Arabia as a coach and referee, also serving as Jury President for several sabre events at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. His wife Ágnes Bánfai was a gymnast who competed at the 1968 Games.