Miklós Szabó

Miklós Szabó started his sports career with KAOE in 1926, and from 1929 competed in the colors of the Magyar Athletic Club. He was an outstanding middle-distance runner in the 1930s, setting 23 Hungarian records from 800 metres to 5,000 metres. He was the first Hungarian to run 1,500 metres under four minutes and his European record, set in 1937, would last for 15 years. In October 1936, at a meet in Budapest, he set a world record of 5:20.4 for 2,000 metres.

Between 1929 and 1937, Szabó won Hungarian Championships five times at 800 metres, eight times at 1,500 metres, and once each at 5,000 metres and cross-country. Between 1928 and 1943 he earned 36 caps. In 1934, Szabó won the first European Championships at 800 metres and was second at 1500 metres. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he reached the semi-finals of the 800 metres and finished seventh at 1,500 metres.

He ended his sports career in 1944. Szabó worked as a sales assistant and then for a short time as a private detective. After World War II he lived and coached in Sweden from 1947 to 1980, and then returned to Hungary.

Personal Bests: 800 – 1:52.0 (1934); 1500 – 3:48.6 (1937).