huolympics1-2, Exercise 1: Alfréd Hajós

Model answer:

Hajós, born Arnold Guttmann in 1878, won the 100 metres and 1200 metres freestyle at the first modern Games in Athens in 1896, in cold open water. He is said to have been drawn to swimming after his father drowned in the Danube. He later trained as an architect, designed sports buildings in Budapest, including the swimming stadium on Margaret Island that bears his name, and won a silver medal in the art competitions in architecture at the 1924 Paris Games.

What it shows: the link between sport and the city, the importance of the Danube and of clubs, and the early prominence of swimming in Hungarian sport. Details should be checked.