1952: Hungary’s Liberation Day Competition

In 1952, Hungary hosted its Liberation Day competition, a pivotal event for gymnasts vying for a spot in the upcoming Helsinki Olympics. For Hungarian athletes, the competition was more than just a national day to remember the end of German occupation; it was another qualifying meeting for the Helsinki Olympics,* and on the women’s side, the spotlight was once again on the contest between two of Hungary’s brightest stars — Ágnes Keleti or Margit Korondi. The pair flip-flopped in the all-around rankings throughout 1952.

For Czechoslovakia, the event offered a chance to measure their progress against Hungary, another European powerhouse. Hungary’s men had taken third place at the 1948 London Olympics, while the Hungarian women had settled for second, just behind Czechoslovakia’s gold medalists. Would Czechoslovakia be able to hold off Hungary again in Helsinki? (Spoiler alert: No.)

The following are the results of the competition, as reported in Hungary’s national press at the time. (Sources: Népsport, April 6 and 7, 1952)

*Note: Some newspaper reports include this event as one of Hungary’s qualifying rounds for their Olympic team while others do not.

WAG Results

All-Around – Top 15

		FX	BB	UB	VT	Total
1. Korondi Margit	HUN	9.65	9.40	9.60	9.70	38.35
		9.80	9.90	9.70	9.55	38.95
		19.45	19.30	19.30	19.25	77.30

2. Keleti Ágnes	HUN	9.75	9.25	9.80	8.50	37.30
		9.85	9.80	9.70	9.80	39.15
		19.60	19.05	19.50	18.30	76.45

3. Gulyás Erzsébet	HUN	9.65	9.05	9.30	9.75	37.75
		9.60	9.55	9.55	9.80	38.50
		19.25	18.60	18.85	19.55	76.25

4. Perényi Edit	HUN	9.35	9.20	9.35	9.45	37.35
		9.70	9.70	9.65	9.80	38.85
		19.05	18.90	19.00	19.25	76.20

5. Zalai Mária	HUN	9.30	8.95	9.30	8.85	36.40
		9.60	9.40	9.45	9.65	38.10
		18.90	18.35	18.75	18.50	74.50

6. Věchtová Eva	TCH	9.35	9.00	9.20	9.00	36.55
		9.65	9.15	9.50	9.40	37.70
		19.00	18.15	18.70	18.40	74.25

7. Daruházi Irén	HUN	9.60	8.75	9.25	8.85	36.45
		9.50	9.35	9.50	9.40	37.75
		19.10	18.10	18.75	18.25	74.20

8. Piepenburg Ingrid	GDR	9.40		8.95		35.90
		9.55	9.35			37.65
		18.95				73.55

9T. Rabasová Jana	TCH	9.05	8.90	9.00	9.00	35.95
				9.40	9.50	37.50
				18.40	18.50	73.45

9T. Sándor	HUN	8.45	8.70	8.95	9.50	35.60
		9.35	9.45	9.60	9.45	37.85
		17.80	18.15	18.55	18.95	73.45

11. Milanovics Ilona	HUN		9.05		9.50	36.25
			9.30		9.35	37.00
			18.35		18.85	73.25

12. Bodó Andrea	HUN	9.45		9.10		35.55
				9.40		37.55
				18.50		73.10

13. Bobková Hana	TCH		8.90		9.05	35.85
					9.45	37.20
					18.50	73.05

14. Kertész Alice	HUN		8.90	9.25		35.45
				9.20	9.65	37.35
				18.45		72.80

15. Bánáti Eva	HUN	9.30	8.95			35.50
		9.40	9.40			37.30
		18.70	18.35			72.80

Team Competition

	Compulsories	Optionals	Total
1. HUN 1	223.60	231.30	454.90
2. TCH	214.85	223.15	438.00
3. HUN 2	214.00	223.50	437.50
4. GDR	203.20	221.45	424.65
5. ROU	201.70	212.10	413.80

Floor – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Keleti Ágnes	HUN	9.75	9.85	19.60
2. Korondi Margit	HUN	9.65	9.80	19.45
3. Tass Olga	HUN	9.75	9.60	19.35
4. Gulyás Erzsébet	HUN	9.65	9.60	19.25
5. Daruházi Irén	HUN	9.60	9.50	19.10

Balance Beam – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Korondi Margit	HUN	9.40	9.90	19.30
2. Keleti Ágnes	HUN	9.25	9.80	19.05
3. Perényi Edit	HUN	9.20	9.70	18.90
4. Gulyás Erzsébet	HUN	9.05	9.55	18.60
5T. Milanovics Ilona	HUN	9.05	9.30	18.35
5T. Bánáti Eva	HUN	8.95	9.40	18.35
5T. Zalai Mária	HUN	8.95	9.40	18.35

Vault – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Gulyás Erzsébet	HUN	9.75	9.80	19.55
2T. Korondi Margit	HUN	9.70	9.55	19.25
2T. Perényi Edit	HUN	9.45	9.80	19.25
4. Sándor	HUN	9.50	9.45	18.95
5T. Milanovics Ilona	HUN	9.50	9.35	18.85
5T. Scholz Gerda	GDR	9.25	9.60	18.85
5T. Świerzy Stefania	POL			18.85

My thought bubble: Świerzy’s fifth-place finish is surprising, if not questionable, given that her name is not among the top 17 compulsory vaulters nor among the top 14 optional vaulters.

Uneven Bars – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Keleti Ágnes	HUN	9.80	9.70	19.50
2. Korondi Margit	HUN	9.60	9.70	19.30
3. Perényi Edit	HUN	9.35	9.65	19.00
4. Tass Olga	HUN	9.45	9.50	18.95
5. Gulyás Erzsébet	HUN	9.30	9.55	18.85

MAG Results

All-Around – Top 16

Gymnast	Country	HB	PB	FX	SR	PH	VT	Total
1. Pataki Ferenc	HUN	9.55	9.55	9.40	9.35	8.00	9.85	55.70
		9.60	9.75	9.60	9.85	9.80	9.75	58.35
		19.15	19.30	19.00	19.20	17.80	19.60	114.05

2. Daniš Ferdinand*	TCH	9.35	9.70	9.50	9.40	8.15	9.75	55.85
		9.05	9.80	9.75	9.50	9.65	9.80	57.55
		18.40	19.50	19.25	18.90	17.80	19.55	113.85

3. Klencs János	HUN	9.50	9.45	9.55	9.05	9.10	9.85	56.50
		9.60	9.40	9.50	9.55	9.35	9.70	57.10
		19.10	18.85	19.05	18.60	18.45	19.55	113.60

4. Karas Vladimír	TCH	9.40	9.55	9.30	9.60	9.35	9.35	56.55
		9.55	9.35	9.30	9.40	9.35	9.40	56.35
		18.95	18.90	18.60	19.00	18.70	18.75	112.90

5. Tóth Károly	HUN	9.40	9.55		9.40	9.60		55.65
		9.55	9.50		9.60	9.55		56.05
		18.95	19.05		19.00	19.15	18.95	111.70

6. Škvor Josef	TCH	9.15		9.30	9.40	8.85	9.50
		9.50		9.20	9.55	9.55	9.55
		18.65	17.05	18.50	18.95	18.40	19.05	110.60

7. Svoboda Josef	TCH	9.30	9.35	8.65		9.00	9.60	54.75
		9.40	9.40	9.40	9.35	8.80	9.45	55.80
		18.70	18.75	18.05		17.80	19.05	110.55

8. Kejř Vladimír	TCH	8.95	9.55		9.30			54.05
		9.50	9.45	9.45	9.35
		18.45	19.00		18.65	17.70		110.50

9. Kolejka Miloš	TCH		9.40	9.30		9.30	9.50	54.65
			9.30	9.10		9.45	9.55
		18.45	18.70	18.40		18.75	19.05	110.10

10. Kemény Ferenc	HUN	9.25	9.30		9.75		9.45	53.70
			9.55		9.75	9.45	9.55
			18.85		19.50		19.00	109.90

11. Mikulec Jindřich	TCH	9.60	9.20	9.15	9.25			53.75
		9.60	9.45	9.35	9.10		9.50	109.85
		19.20	18.65	18.50	18.35

12. Kocsis Károly	HUN	9.25	9.70		9.00			52.80
		9.45	9.55		9.30	9.50
		18.70	19.25		18.30			109.10

13. Simonfalvi	HUN			9.00	8.80	8.45	9.60
			9.40	9.15	9.35		9.55
				18.15	18.15		19.15	109.00

14. Kabos	HUN					8.90
					9.30	9.05
						17.95		107.95

15. Mező	HUN			9.15
				9.25
				18.40				107.45

16. Matlocha Vít	TCH	9.25			9.15	9.35
		9.35		9.30	9.55	9.20
		18.60			18.70	18.55		107.35

Note: Daniš’s scores listed in the newspaper do not properly add up.

Note #2: Lajos Sántha of Hungary was leading the competition after compulsories with a 57.60. However, he struggled on optional rings. (“Az első csapatnak minden tagja — Sántha kivételével — jó erőben, lendületesen dolgozott.”)

Teams

	Compulsories	Optionals	Total
HUN 1	285.55	287.90	573.45
TCH	281.50	285.90	567.40
GDR	258.65	275.00	533.65
HUN 2	239.40	257.65	497.05
ROU	236.50	249.95	486.45

Floor – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Daniš	TCH	9.50	9.75	19.25
2. Klencs	HUN	9.55	9.50	19.05
3. Pataki	HUN	9.40	9.60	19.00
4. Sántha	HUN	9.50	9.30	18.80
5T. Karas	TCH	9.30	9.30	18.60
5T. Réti	HUN	9.25	9.35	18.60

High Bar – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Mikulec	TCH	9.60	9.60	19.20
2. Pataki	HUN	9.55	9.60	19.15
3. Klencs	HUN	9.50	9.60	19.10
4T. Tóth Károly	HUN	9.40	9.55	18.95
4T. Karas	TCH	9.40	9.55	18.95

Parallel Bars – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Sántha	HUN	9.85	9.75	19.60
2. Baranyai	HUN	9.80	9.75	19.55
3. Danis	TCH	9.70	9.80	19.50
4. Pataki	HUN	9.55	9.75	19.30
5. Kocsis	HUN	9.70	9.55	19.25

Pommel Horse – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1T. Sántha	HUN	9.50	9.65	19.15
1T. Tóth Károly	HUN	9.60	9.55	19.15
3T. Baranyai	HUN	9.45	9.45	18.90
3T. Réti	HUN	9.55	9.35	18.90
5. Fekete	HUN	9.25	9.60	18.85

Vault – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1. Pataki	HUN	9.85	9.75	19.60
2. Klencs	HUN	9.85	9.70	19.55
3. Sántha	HUN	9.50	9.70	19.20
4T. Simonfalvi	HUN	9.60	9.55	19.15
4T. Daniš*	TCH	9.75	9.80	19.15

Note: Daniš’s individual scores do not add up properly. 19.15 is his vault total listed in the newspaper, but his individual vault scores add up to 19.55.

Still Rings – Top 5

Gymnast	Country	Comp.	Opt.	Total
1T. Kemény	HUN	9.75	9.75	19.50
1T. Baranyai	HUN	9.75	9.75	19.50
3. Pataki	HUN	9.35	9.85	19.20
4T Tóth Károly	HUN	9.40	9.60	19.00
4T. Karas	TCH	9.60	9.40	19.00