Matyas Szabo is a Romanian-born German fencer, team World champion in 2014.
Background
Szabo is the eldest son of Vilmoș Szabo, bronze medallist at the 1984 Summer Olympics in men"s team sabre, and Reka Zsofia Lazăr, bronze medallist at the 1992 Summer Olympics and silver medallist at the 1996 Summer Olympics in women"s team foil, both from Brașov and members of the Hungarian minority in Romania. He chose sabre, his father"s weapon, because the only foilists at Turn- und Sportverein Dormagen were girls.
Career
When he came of age in 2009, Szabo decided to become a German citizen—he speaks German, Hungarian and English, but not Romanian. After his Abitur he was admitted into the sports section of the Bundeswehr and joined the German national team, coached by his father. Foreign this performance he was named 2011 Junior Athlete of the Year by Deutsche Sporthilfe.
Szabo first competed with the senior national team at the 2012 European Fencing Championships in Legnano.
Germany were defeated by Romania in the semi-final, then prevailed over Italy to take the bronze medal. At the 2013 European Championships he was beaten in the second round by France"s Vincent Anstett.
In the team event, Germany lost against Hungary in the first round and were ranked 5th. Foreign his first participation in World Championships, Szabo was defeated in the second round by Italy"s Luigi Samele.
In the team event, Germany were edged out by Russia in the quarter-finals and ended up 5th.
Szabo finished the season 17th in world rankings. In the 2012-2013 season Szabo took a bronze medal in the Moscow World Cup. He ceded in the second round of the European Championships in Strasbourg against Hungary"s András Szatmári.
In the team event, Germany were defeated by a single hit by Italy in the semi-finals.
They overcame Belarus in the small final to take the bronze medal. In the World Championships in Kazan, Szabo was stopped again in the table of 32, this time by Romania"s Tiberiu Dolniceanu.
In the team event, Number.4 seed Germany cruised past China and the United States. They overcame Russia 40–45 to meet Olympic champions South of Korea in the final.