Károly Takács

Shooter

Hungarian Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary

Quick Info

ProfessionShooter
NationalityHungarian
Date of Birth21/01/1910
Age65 years (died on 05, Jan, 1976)
BirthplaceBudapest, Kingdom of Hungary
Date of Death05/01/1976

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Physical Stats & More

Height183 cm

Relationships & More

Marital Status (at the time of death)Not Known

Career

Competed for Budapesti Partizán SC and Budapest Honvéd.
Gold medal in 25m rapid fire pistol team at 1939 World Championships in Lucerne.
Hungarian champion in small-bore sports pistol in 1940.
Five-time national champion in sports pistol, one-time in small-bore sports pistol, four-time in large-bore sports pistol after World War II.
Bronze medal in 25m center-fire pistol at 1958 ISSF World Shooting Championships.
Served as a front-line officer during World War II.
Retired as a lieutenant colonel at age 56.
Worked as a shooting coach, mentoring Olympic silver medalist Szilárd Kun.

Favourites

ShooterCarlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Károly Takács was a Hungarian Olympic athlete and the third athlete with a physical disability to compete in the Olympic Games.
2. He served as a sergeant in the Hungarian army and had the desire to join the 1936 Summer Olympics shooting team, which was initially hindered by his non-commissioned rank.
3. In 1938, a grenade explosion during military training resulted in a severe injury to his right hand, prompting him to switch to shooting with his left hand, leading to a surprise victory at the Hungarian national pistol shooting championship in 1939.
4. At the 1948 London Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the 25-meter rapid-fire pistol event by defeating world champion shooter Carlos Enrique Díaz Sáenz Valiente.
5. He also secured another gold at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics in the same event and finished eighth in the 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics.
6. Károly Takács went on to win 35 Hungarian national shooting championships and is considered an 'Olympic hero' by the International Olympic Committee.
7. He was honored with a commemorative stamp by Dominica in 1948 and later became a shooting coach, mentoring Olympic silver medalist Szilárd Kun.
8. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, he was laid to rest at the New Public Cemetery in Budapest.
9. In May 2023, an author named Sid Boyka released a book titled 'The Life Story Of Unbreakable Spirit & Success: Karoly Tekacs,' narrating his inspiring journey.
10. In August 2023, Indian filmmaker R. Balki released a film named 'Ghoomer,' loosely inspired by the life of Károly Takács.
11. Full name: Károly Ede Takács.
12. Began shooting as a competitor in the Honvéd Officers' Sports Association.
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