Sandor Iharos: The World's Best Sportsman In 1955

Sandor Iharos (Budapest, 10 March 1930 – Budapest, 24 Jan 1996), athlete, middle- and long- distance runner.

He was the best known personality of the world famous Hungarian middle-distance running school founded by Mihaly Igloi. After retiring from competitive sport, he became a qualified athletics trainer in 1962, and from 1964 to 1970 was the head trainer of the Central Sports School. The crowning year of his sporting career was 1955, when he was the first, and to this day the only, Hungarian to be chosen the world's best sportsman for his achievements. In 1955 the world renowned Hungarian runner achieved world records in all distances from 1,500 m to 3 miles: 1,500 m: 3:40.8; 3,000 m: 7:55.6; 5,000 m: 13:50.8 and 13:40.6; 2 miles 8:33.4; 3 miles: 13:14.2. He made up for the world records for the "missing" distances a year later: 6 miles: 27:43.8; 10,000 m: 28:42.8. The figure of Sandor Iharos appears on the stamp, the first day cover and the postmark.