In her youth, she was a member of a local swim team. During World War II, in 1941, she was expelled from the team because she was Jewish, as well as being excluded from competitions until the war ended.
Székely was very nearly killed during a roundup of Jewish people by in Budapest in winter 1944.
WATCH: Interview with Éva Székely at USC Shoah Foundation
In the video, she explains how, when threatened by a young Nazi, she was spared her at the last minute due to her father's quick thinking by saying that she was the Hungarian swimming champion.
After the war, her swimming career resumed and she went from strength to strength, winning gold medals in multiple races at the Hungarian swimming championships every year from 1945 to 1956. She set many national records in this time, as well as six world records.