Alfred HAJOS from Hungary, winner of the 100m and 1500m freestyle swimming events at the Games of the I Olympiad Athens 1896. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections/MEYER Albert

Other names: GUTTMANN, Arnold

Born: 1 February 1878

Deceased: 12 November 1955

Birthplace: Budapest (Hungary)

Nationality: Hungary

Sport: Aquatics

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Athens 1896

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 2

My Will to Live Completely Overcame My Desire to Win

Alfred Hajos was 13 years old when he felt compelled to become a good swimmer after his father drowned in the Danube River. The first Olympic swimming contests, at the 1896 Athens Games, were held in the Bay of Zea in water with a temperature of only 13 degrees Celsius. Hajos won the 100m and the 1,200m freestyle on the same day (11 April).

For the longer race, the nine entrants were transported by boat to the open water and left alone to swim back to shore. According to Hajos, "I must say that I shivered from the thought of what would happen if I got a cramp from the cold water. My will to live completely overcame my desire to win". In 1924 Hajos won a prize in the architectural division of the Olympic Art Contest.