Iolanda Balaș

Iolanda Balaș (Romanian pronunciation: [joˈlanda ˈbalaʃ], Hungarian: [Balázs Jolán] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), later Balázs-Sőtér Jolán; 12 December 1936 – 11 March 2016) was a Romanian Olympic athlete. She was a champion and former world record holder in the women's high jump. She was the first Romanian woman to win an Olympic gold medal and is considered to have been one of the greatest high jumpers of the twentieth century.

Iolanda Balaș

250px Balaș in 1967
Personal information
Born	(1936-12-12)12 December 1936 Timișoara, Romania
Died	11 March 2016(2016-03-11) (aged 79) Bucharest, Romania
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	72 kg (159 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	High jump
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	1.91 m (1961)
Medal record Representing Romania Olympic Games Gold 1960 Rome High jump Gold 1964 Tokyo High jump European Championships Gold 1958 Stockholm High jump Gold 1962 Belgrade High jump Silver 1954 Berne High jump Universiade Gold 1959 Torino High jump Gold 1961 Sofia High jump

Balaș was diagnosed several years ago with type II diabetes. She died in Bucharest, Romania from complications from a gastric disorder, at the age of 79.

Iolanda Balaș Media

• Iolanda Balaș 1964b.jpg

  Balaș at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo

• Iolanda Balas with husband.jpg

  Balaș with her husband and coach Ioan Soter

• Iolanda Balaș 2004 Romanian stamp.jpg

  Balaș on 2004 Romanian stamps

• Balas.png

  Balaș receiving a trophy in 2010 for special merits (TV capture)