Ilona Elek, known as Ilona Elek-Schacherer was a Hungarian Olympic fencer.
11 Facts About Ilona Elek
2.
Ilona Elek was born on 17 May 1907 in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary to a Hungarian-Jewish father born Eisler who 1939 converted to lutheranism and a Roman-Catholic mother.
3.
Ilona Elek had seven siblings, including two-time Olympic fencer Margit Elek, and her mother died when she was 11 years old.
4.
Ilona Elek competed for Hungary in three Olympiads, winning three medals.
5.
Ilona Elek is considered to be one of the greatest female fencers in the history of the sport.
6.
Ilona Elek won the gold medal in women's foil at the World Championships in 1934,1935, and 1951.
7.
Ilona Elek won silver in 1937 and 1954, and bronze in 1955.
8.
Ilona Elek was the first woman to win two Olympic gold medals in the individual foil competition.
9.
Ilona Elek won the gold medal in the foil event, the first Hungarian woman to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
10.
Ilona Elek won the silver medal at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
11.
Ilona Elek was later awarded the Robert Feyerick Cup and the Olympic Order.