Gabriela Szabo
Gabriela Szabo 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.
Szabo is a three-time world champion. She was named the BTA Best Balkan Athlete of the Year in 1999. 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. As a child, Szabo used to speak Hungarian with her friends, but she can only understand a few words today, which she regrets.Post-sport career
As of 19 August 2013 she held the honorific title of Romanian Tourism Ambassador, 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.
Personal bests
Outdoor (track)
1500 metres - 3:56.97One mile - 4:19.30
3000 metres - 8:21.42
5000 metres - 14:31.48
Indoor
1500 metres - 4:03.23One mile - 4:23.19
2000 metres - 5:30.53
3000 metres - 8:32.88
5000 metres - 14:47.35