Tamás Kásás

Tamás Kásás (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈtɒmaːʃ ˈkaːʃaːʃ]; born 20 July 1976) is a retired Hungarian water polo player.

Kásás is often described as the best defensive player of his era, if not the best overall. He is known for his ability to spring out of the water and block shots, as well as his strength in one-on-one situations. He is also noted for his highly accurate shots and passes.

He picked up the sport at the age of six, being taught by his father Zoltán, who is a coach in Hungary. Zoltán Kásás was also a gifted player who won an Olympic silver medal in 1972, a World Championship in 1973, and a European title in 1974.

He made his Olympic debut in 1996, where Hungary reached the semifinals before losing to the Manuel Estiarte-led Spanish squad. However, the Hungarian team bounced back to win European Championships in 1997 and 1999, as well as a Champions League cup in 1998, culminating with three Olympic gold medals at Sydney in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

Kásás played in five consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country from 1996 to 2012. He is, jointly with Croat Igor Hinić and Greek Georgios Afroudakis, the tenth athlete to compete in water polo at five Olympics. He is also a leading goalscorer in Olympic water polo history, with 56 goals.

In 2007 Kásás won Euro League with Pro Recco. He was named Most Valuable Player at the 2002 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup, where Hungary claimed the silver medal.