In the 1984–85 indoor season, however, Pálóczi won the gold medal at the European Indoor Championships. It was a very tight competition, with Pálóczi being tied by László Szalma but winning on countback; also he was one centimetre ahead of bronze medalist Sergey Layevskiy and two centimetres ahead of fourth placer Ján Leitner. The mark of 8.15 metres was his personal best indoor result. In the summer of 1985 he leapt a career best of 8.25 metres, achieved in August in Budapest.