Great Olympians

Biographies - BAL

Iolanda Balas

B. 1936-12-12, Timisoara, Romania
Track and Field (2 gold)

1956 1960 1964 HP

High Jump fifth gold gold 31050

31050

	1956	1960	1964	HP
High Jump	fifth	gold	gold	31050
				31050

The first woman jumper to clear 6 feet (1.83 m). Using the outmoded 'scissors' style, she also won two European titles (58 and 62) and bettered the world record 14 times, bringing it to 1.91 m in 1961, a record that would stand for more than ten years. She married her coach Ion Söter.

Balczó András

B. 1939-08-16, Kodoros, Hungary
Modern Pentathlon (3 gold, 2 silver)

1960 1968 1972 HP

Individual fourth silver gold 18750

Team gold gold silver 6300

25050

	1960	1968	1972	HP
Individual	fourth	silver	gold	18750
Team	gold	gold	silver	6300
				25050

Probably the greatest all-rounder in the history of modern pentathlon. He first competed in the Roma Olympics, finishing fourth, only 15 pts behind the silver medal position. In spite of being the reigning World Champion, he was not in the Hungarian team at Tokyo, because of a problem with his state's authorities. He was individual World Champion in 1963, 65, 66, 67 and 69.
He has 11 children.

Jan Balej

Olympic Competitor nr 6021

1912-07-08-14:00 - Greco-Roman Wrestling - Lightweight (-67.5 kg), round one - won by fall
1912-07-11-09:30 - Greco-Roman Wrestling - Lightweight (-67.5 kg), round three - won by fall
1912-07-13-09:30 - Greco-Roman Wrestling - Lightweight (-67.5 kg), round four - won by fall
1912-07-14-08:30 - Greco-Roman Wrestling - Lightweight (-67.5 kg), round five - lost
1912-07-14-13:30 - Greco-Roman Wrestling - Lightweight (-67.5 kg), round six - lost - eliminated (384)
1920 384

Gordon Balfour

Olympic Competitor nr 4594

1908-07-28-15:45 - Rowing - Coxless Fours, semifinal - lost (1170)
1908-07-29-13:00 - Rowing - Eights, round one, heat one - won (Q)
1908-07-30-13:15 - Rowing - Eights, semifinal, heat one - lost (780)

Felicia Ballanger

B. 1971-06-12, La Roche sur Yon, France
Cycling (3 gold)

1992 1996 2000 HP

Sprint fourth gold gold 32400

500 m Time Trial gold 9600

42000

	1992	1996	2000	HP
Sprint	fourth	gold	gold	32400
500 m Time Trial			gold	9600
				42000

She won 6 consecutive world sprint titles (including 2 at the Olympics) between 1995 and 2000.
She was named after Felice Gimondi and so really had to take up cycling.

Ivar Ballangrud

B. 1904-03-07, Lunner, Hadeland, Norway; D. 6/6/1969, Trondheim
Speed Skating (4 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze)

1928 1932 1936 HP

5000 m gold fifth gold 20700

10000 m - silver gold 10400

1500 m bronze 11th silver 7515.2

500 m - - gold 6400

45015.2

	1928	1932	1936	HP
5000 m	gold	fifth	gold	20700
10000 m	-	silver	gold	10400
1500 m	bronze	11th	silver	7515.2
500 m	-	-	gold	6400
				45015.2

In his first years, his best distances were the 5000 and 10000 metres. Later he was also an excellent sprinter. He also won the World Championship four times, the European Championship four times and set world records at 1500, 5000 (3 times) and 10000 metres.