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Balazs KissHungarian athlete, track and field athlete, hammer throw specialist
Date of Birth: 21.03.1972
Country:  Hungary |
Content:
- Balázs Kiss: Hungarian Hammer Thrower
- International Breakthrough
- Peak Performance and Records
- Later Career and Retirement
Balázs Kiss: Hungarian Hammer Thrower
Early Life and CareerBalázs Kiss, a renowned Hungarian hammer thrower, was born on March 21, 1972, in Veszprém, Hungary. In 1991, he achieved third place at the European Junior Championships. The following year, he moved to the United States to attend the University of Southern California. While there, he honed his hammer-throwing skills, winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championships four consecutive times from 1993 to 1996 and setting new meet records.
International Breakthrough
Kiss began his international career in 1995. At the World Championships in Gothenburg, he placed fourth. However, he triumphed at the World University Games in Fukuoka, Japan, becoming the champion. His greatest career achievement came at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, where he won the gold medal with an impressive throw of 81.24 meters, surpassing American Lance Deal by 12 centimeters.
Peak Performance and Records
In 1997, Kiss duplicated his 1995 success, placing fourth at the World Championships in Athens and winning the Universiade in Catania, Italy. The following year, he set a personal best of 83.00 meters at a Golden League event. However, at the European Championships in Budapest, he finished second to fellow Hungarian Tibor Gécsek.
Later Career and Retirement
Kiss's performance declined in subsequent years. He failed to qualify for the finals at the 1999 World Championships in Seville and placed sixth in Edmonton two years later. In July 2004, he announced his retirement from professional athletics.
