Ödön Radvány

A gymnast, footballer and fencer, Ödön Radvány started as a Greco-Roman style wrestler with Maccabi VAC. He later moved to BAK and in 1908, at the age of 20, became one of the best Hungarian lightweight (70 kg) wrestlers. Between 1909-24, he won seven national titles, was a world champion (1920) and silver medalist (1922), became the unofficial European champion (1912), and competed at three Olympics (1908, 1912 and 1924). After World War I, the development of wrestling as a sport declined, and there were no organised events. Hungary was not allowed to participate at the 1920 Olympics. In 1923, however, Radvány took part, and won, at the Gothenburg Mini-Olympics.

Radvány was one of the pioneers of modern wrestling; he was the creator of several fundamental tricks, as well as being one of the founders of what became the Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées (now United World Wrestling). He had a degree in engineering.