Atlanta, 25 July 1996: Krisztina EGERSZEGI of Hungary celebrates her victory in the women's 200m backstroke in the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center at the Centennial Olympic Games. Credit: Getty Images/Al Bello

Born: 16 August 1974

Birthplace: Budapest (Hungary)

Nationality: Hungary

Sport: Aquatics

ATTENDANCE AT THE OLYMPIC GAMES

Seoul 1988

Barcelona 1992

Atlanta 1996

AWARDS

Olympic medals:

Gold: 5

Silver: 1

Bronze: 1

Other results:

World Championships

Gold: 2 (91)

Silver: 1 (94)

The Most Successful Female Swimmer

Krisztina Egerszegi is the only woman to win five gold medals in individual swimming events. Egerszegi was only 14 years old when she competed at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Emboldened by the silver medal she gained in the 100m backstroke, she felt that she could upset the favoured East Germans at 200m, even though, at 45kg, she was 19kg lighter than any of her opponents in the final. Egerszegi sprinted into the lead after the midrace turn and won going away. In 1992, Egerszegi, by now a seasoned 18-year-old, won both backstroke events. She also entered and won the 400m individual medley, recording the fastest time since Petra Schneider's chemically augmented 1982 world record. At the 1996 Atlanta Games, Egerszegi earned a bronze medal in the 400 IM and then won the 200m backstroke to become only the second swimmer in history to win the same event three times. Her margin of victory, 4.15 seconds, was the greatest in any women's 200m event. In 1996, Egerszegi did not enter the 100m backstroke, however her leadoff backstroke time in the medley relay, 1:01.15, was faster than the winning time in the 100m backstroke final.