István Pelle

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameIstván Béla•Pelle
Used nameIstván•Pelle
Born26 July 1907 in Budapest, Budapest (HUN)
Died6 March 1986 in Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires (ARG)
AffiliationsBTC, Budapest (HUN)
NOC Hungary
Medals OG
Gold 2
Silver 2
Bronze 0
Total 4

Biography

Dr. István Pelle, who competed for BBTE and later for BTC, participated in his first Olympics in 1928 at the age of 21, but did not place highly. His first international success came when he won the gold medal on horizontal bar at the 1930 World Championships. At the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics, where not all of the best gymnasts were able to compete, Pelle won two gold and two silver medals. Pelle also competed in the next World Championships held in his hometown of Budapest in 1934 and at the 1936 Olympics, but was not able to repeat his performance at either event.

Pelle won his first national titles in 1925 (parallel bars, rings, and with the team) and his first all-around national title in 1927, which he defended up to 1932 and won again in 1936. In total he won 41 Hungarian titles on all apparatuses. In the 1930s he also finished his study with a doctor’s degree in law. After World War II he emigrated and toured around successfully as artist, standing on a ladder singing Hungarian songs and playing violin. He settled in Argentina, where he died aged almost 80, and never returned to Hungary.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1928 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) HUN István Pelle
Individual All-Around, Men (Olympic) 22
Team All-Around, Men (Olympic) Hungary 10
Horse Vault, Men (Olympic) =21
Parallel Bars, Men (Olympic) =17
Horizontal Bar, Men (Olympic) =28
Rings, Men (Olympic) =30
Pommelled Horse, Men (Olympic) 23
1932 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) HUN István Pelle
Individual All-Around, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
Team All-Around, Men (Olympic) Hungary 4
Floor Exercise, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold
Horse Vault, Men (Olympic) 6
Parallel Bars, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
Horizontal Bar, Men (Olympic) =4
Rings, Men (Olympic) 12
Pommelled Horse, Men (Olympic) 1 Gold
Tumbling, Men (Olympic) 4
1936 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) HUN István Pelle
Individual All-Around, Men (Olympic) 18
Team All-Around, Men (Olympic) Hungary 7
Floor Exercise, Men (Olympic) =23
Horse Vault, Men (Olympic) 64
Parallel Bars, Men (Olympic) 12
Horizontal Bar, Men (Olympic) 21
Rings, Men (Olympic) 25
Pommelled Horse, Men (Olympic) 17