Ilona Kerekes
It is with great sadness that the death of Hungary’s Ilona Kerekes has been advised.
Born on Monday 25th October 1926, she passed away in October 2023.
At the World Championships, playing under her maiden name Solyom; alongside Gizi Farkas, Rozsi Karpati and Ilona Király she was a member of the Hungarian outfit that won women’s team silver in 1950 in Budapest.
Four years later in 1954 in London, known as Kerekes, when joining forces with Gizi Farkas, Éva Kóczián and Agnes Simon, again the medal colour was silver.
In addition, at the 1960 European Championships in Zagreb; she was a member of the gold medal winning women’s team alongside Eva Koczian, Gizi Farkas, Sarolta Mathe and Livia Mossoczy.
Later in the same tournament she was beaten in the final of the women’s singles by Eva Koczian; also, she partnered Gizi Farkas to women’s doubles bronze.
Furthermore, amongst her many achievements, she won gold at the World University Championships.
She was a founder member of the Hungarian Swaythling Club in 1967.
Our thoughts are with her friends and family, she is sadly missed.