BY SCOTT
HADDOW
Jeno "Doc" Tihanyi, a swim coach and retired Laurentian
University professor, died of cancer at the age of 71 on
Sunday, March 4. A memorial service will be held at Fraser
Auditorium this Friday at 2 pm.
Tihanyi is best known for guiding Alex Baumann to two gold
medals in swimming at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Summer
Games.
Baumann was deeply moved by the loss of his mentor.
"It's tough to take," said Baumann over the phone from Ottawa.
"We knew it was coming because he was diagnosed last
summer...we just didn't think it was going to happen this
quickly. In one way, it was a good thing because there wasn't a
lot of pain, but it's still very difficult to take."
Baumann is the executive director of the Road to Excellence
program within the Canadian Olympic Committee. He started his
job in January and his purpose is to help Canada become more
successful at future Olympic Summer Games.
Tihanyi meant the world to Baumann, as he had coached him from
the age of nine to 23.
"I learned so much from him," said Baumann. "We had a strong
14-year relationship when I was swimming and we stayed in
touch. He was more than just a coach to me. I had my challenges
in life with the losses of my brother in 1980 and my father in
1983. He became a second father to me."
Tihanyi was always looking for the best from the people around
him.
"He was a hard working man," said Baumann. "He never settled
for second best...he always strived to be the best."
Baumann will never forget his time with Tihanyi at the 1984
Olympic Games.
"Just to get out of the pool after winning the first gold in
the 400-metre individual medley and giving him a big hug will
be a memory that will always last for me. I always believed we
accomplished those gold medals...I couldn't have done it
without him."
Tihanyi left a powerful legacy.
"He touched so many people," said Baumann. "Some swimmers
thought he was too tough, but he was tougher on himself...he
got up at 5 am and wouldn't get home until 8 pm everyday. He
brought the best out of people though. He will be dearly missed
and I hope his legacy will go on."
Baumann will be attending the memorial service Friday.
Current Laurentian swim team head coach Phil Parker considered
Tihanyi to be his best friend.
"He taught me how to bring the best out of people...not just
swimmers, but students and colleagues," said Parker.
"He meant a lot to me. I've known him for over 10 years. He
took me under his wing when I was a grad student...he was like
a father to me. Any question I ever had, he welcomed me with
open arms. He was a mentor and an invaluable resource I can't
put a price on. It was a great relationship and it's too bad it
has to end."
The Tihanyi residence has been flooded with calls of sympathy
and support since Sunday.
"He was a caring man," said Cathy Tihanyi, his wife of 34
years. "He was dedicated. He came to Canada (from Hungary) at
19 with nothing. He never stopped...he went to school during
the day and worked two jobs at night. He was driven to make
something out of himself."
The couple have three sons - Mikos, 32, Sacha, 29 and Andrey,
27.
"He lived for his sons and he was proud of them," said Cathy.
"We admired him as a man because he never gave up in life. It's
a big loss...it's hard to believe he will not be around
anymore. We loved him dearly and still do. He wasn't a big man,
but he was big in spirit and in accomplishments."
Tihanyi was involved in Canadian swimming for 44 years
experiencing a great deal of success with a long list of
international coaching accomplishments that includes 17 world
records, 16 national team members, 132 international medals and
two Olympic gold medals. In April 2004, he was rewarded for his
excellence by being named only the fourth coach to be inducted
into the Canadian Olympic Committee Hall of Fame.
Tihanyi started the Laurentian Aqua Vees varsity swim team in
1974 with just five swimmers. The team has grown to almost 50
swimmers.  Tihanyi saw swimmers accomplish 10 CIS records,
19 OUA records and 215 university medals.
Tihanyi was also a professor in child psychology and human
development at Laurentian University in the School of Human
Kinetics. He was the director of the division of physical
education from 1993 to 1996, now known as the School of Human
Movement.
