Olivér Halassy (né ''Haltmayer''; 31 July 1909 – 10 September 1946) was a Hungarian

water polo Water polo is a competitive sport, competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the water polo ball, ball into the oppo ...

player and freestyle swimmer who competed at the 1928,

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

and

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

. Halassy lost his left leg below the knee when he was hit by a train at the age of 11. He later became the first amputee swimmer to compete in the Olympics. He was a member of the Hungarian water polo teams that won one silver and two gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936. He played all matches and scored three, eleven, and six goals, respectively. Halassy won three European water polo titles, in 1931, 1934, and 1938. He also became European champion in 1500 metres freestyle swimming in 1931, a few hours after he helped his water polo team to victory. Nationally he won 25 swimming titles and set 12 records. Due to his disability, Halassy was exempted from military service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. After retiring from competitions, he worked as an auditor at City Hall. He was killed by a

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

soldier near his home in Budapest, in what Hungarian sources called "tragic circumstances." Other accounts indicate that he was coming home by taxi late at night when he was murdered by occupying Soviet soldiers in a robbery or mugging. His death came just days before his wife gave birth to their third child. Halassy was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Halassy, Oliver 1909 births 1946 deaths People murdered in 1946 Hungarian male freestyle swimmers Hungarian male water polo players Olympic gold medalists for Hungary in water polo Olympic silver medalists for Hungary in water polo People from Újpest Water polo players from Budapest Water polo players at the 1928 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1932 Summer Olympics Water polo players at the 1936 Summer Olympics Hungarian murder victims People murdered in Hungary European Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming European champions for Hungary Medalists at the 1936 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1932 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Hungarian people executed by the Soviet Union 20th-century Hungarian sportsmen

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