Gabriela Szabo

Gabriela Szabo (Romanian pronunciation: [ɡabriˈela ˈsabo], Hungarian: Szabó Gabriella;[2] born 14 November 1975)[3] is a retired Romanian runner. She competed in the 1500 m and 5000 m events at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics and won a gold, a silver and a bronze medal.

This article is about Romanian field and track athlete. For the Hungarian sprint canoer, see Gabriella Szabó.

Gabriela Szabo
Gabriela Szabo in May 2014
Personal information
Nickname(s)Gabi[1]
Born14 November 1975 (1975-11-14) (age 47)
Bistriţa, Romania
Height1.52 m (5 ft 0 in)
Weight42 kg (93 lb)
Sport
SportRunning
Medal record
Representing  Romania
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 1 1
World Championships 3 0 0
World Indoor Championships 3 1 1
European Championships 0 1 1
European Indoor Championships 2 0 0
Universiade 2 0 0
Total 11 3 3
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney 5000 m
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta 1500 m
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Sydney 1500 m
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1997 Athens 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 1999 Seville 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 2001 Edmonton 1500 m
European Championships
Silver medal – second place1998 Budapest5000 m
Silver medal – second place2002 Munich1500 m
Bronze medal – third place1994 Helsinki3000 m
World Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place1995 Barcelona3000 m
Gold medal – first place1997 Paris3000 m
Gold medal – first place1999 Maebashi3000 m
Gold medal – first place1999 Maebashi1500 m
Silver medal – second place2001 Lisbon3000 m
European Indoor Championships
Gold medal – first place1998 Valencia3000 m
Gold medal – first place2000 Ghent3000 m
Universiade
Gold medal – first place 1995 Fukuoka 5000 m
Gold medal – first place 1995 Fukuoka 1500 m

Szabo is a three-time world champion. Throughout her entire career she was coached by Zsolt Gyöngyössy, whom she eventually married. In May 2005 she retired from competitions due to exhaustion. She held the European record in the 3000 m between 2002 and 2019.

Early life

Szabo was born to a Romanian mother and a Hungarian father.[4][5] As a child, Szabo used to speak Hungarian with her friends, but she can only understand a few words today, which she regrets.[1][2]

Post-sport career
Gabriela Szabo as Minister of Youth and Sport in the third Ponta cabinet

As of 19 August 2013 she held the honorific title of Romanian Tourism Ambassador,[6] together with 7 other cultural and sport personalities of Romania.

On 5 March 2014, she was appointed Minister of Youth and Sport in the Victor Ponta social-democratic government. She held the position until 17 November 2015.

Competition record
YearCompetitionVenuePositionEventNotes
Representing  Romania
1991 European Junior Championships Thessaloniki, Greece 1st 3000 m 9:19.28
1992 World Junior Championships Seoul, South Korea 2nd 3000 m 8:48.28
1993 European Junior Championships San Sebastián, Spain 1st 3000 m 8:50.97
1994 World Junior Championships Lisbon, Portugal 1st 3000 m 8:47.40
European Championships Helsinki, Finland 3rd 3000 m 8:40:08
1995 World Indoor Championships Barcelona, Spain 1st 3000 m 8:54.50
World Championships Gothenburg, Sweden 4th 5000 m 14:56.57
Universiade Fukuoka, Japan 1st 1500 m 4:11.73
1st 5000 m 15:29.86
1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, United States 2nd 1500 m 4:01.54
23rd (h) 5000 m 15:42.35
1997 World Indoor Championships Paris, France 1st 3000 m 8:45.75
World Championships Athens, Greece 1st 5000 m 14:57.68
Universiade Catania, Italy 1st 1500 m 4:10.31
1998 European Indoor Championships Valencia, Spain 1st 3000 m 8:49.96
European Championships Budapest, Hungary 2nd 5000 m 15:08.31
1999 World Indoor Championships Maebashi, Japan 1st 1500 m 4:03.23
1st 3000 m 8:36.42
World Championships Seville, Spain 1st 5000 m 14:41.82
2000 European Indoor Championships Ghent, Belgium 1st 3000 m 8:42.06
Olympic Games Sydney, Australia 3rd 1500 m 4:05.27
1st 5000 m 14:40.79
2001 World Indoor Championships Lisbon, Portugal 2nd 3000 m 8:39.65
World Championships Edmonton, Canada 1st 1500 m 4:00.57
8th 5000 m 15:19.55
2002 European Championships Munich, Germany 2nd 1500 m 3:58.81
2003 World Championships Paris, France 11th 5000 m 14:59.36

Personal bests

Outdoor (track)

1500 metres - 3:56.97 (1998)
One mile - 4:19.30 (1998)
3000 metres - 8:21.42 (2002)
5000 metres - 14:31.48 (1998)

Indoor

1500 metres - 4:03.23 (1999)
One mile - 4:23.19 (2001)
2000 metres - 5:30.53 (1998)
3000 metres - 8:32.88 (2001)
5000 metres - 14:47.35 (1999)

2001 Accident

Szabo is remembered for a collision with German long-jumper Kofi Amoah Prah during an indoor meeting at Stuttgart in 2001. Szabo was leaving the track after her competition had finished while Amoah was running for his attempt.[7] Szabo walked into Amoah's path and they collided heavily.[8]

References
  1. Tóth Gödri, Iringó (6 May 2021). "Gabriela Szabo sajnálja, hogy nem tanult meg magyarul" [Gabriela Szabo regrets that she did not learn Hungarian]. kronikaonline.ro (in Hungarian). Krónika. Retrieved 9 August 2021. ahogy a sportrajongók ismerik, Gabi Szabo [as sports fans know her, Gabi Szabo]
  2. Ághassi, Attila (23 November 2005). "'Bánt, hogy már nem tudok magyarul'" ['I'm sorry I can't speak Hungarian anymore']. index.hu (in Hungarian). Index. Retrieved 9 August 2021. Nem véletlen, hogy eszembe sem volt a nevem megváltoztatása [It's no coincidence that I didn't even think of changing my name.]
  3. "Gabriela Szabo Biography and Olympic Results". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  4. Mallows, Lucy (2008). Transylvania. Guilford, Connecticut: The Globe Pequot Press Inc. p. 106. ISBN 978-1-84162-230-9.
  5. Gabi Szabo: „La Chimie, toceam toate formulele. Dar şi astăzi ştiu tabelul lui Mendeleev!“. adevarul.ro (9 March 2013). Retrieved on 11 August 2014.
  6. Romanian Tourism Ambassadors post by DrumLiber.ro, 21 August 2013, drumliber.ro, accessed on 21 August 2013
  7. "Ethiopians sweep medals in 3 000m". news24.com. 4 February 2001. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  8. "Athletics long jump collision" on YouTube
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