Kristóf Milák Clinches 50 Fly Title; Ádám Jászó & Fanni Kokas Complete Backstroke Doubles
Kristóf Milák clinched his second title in as many days at the Hungarian Championships with victory in the 50 fly in Sopron.
Szebasztián Szabó led the semis in 23.33 but it was the four-time Olympic medallist that came away with gold in 23.03 to 23.14. Richárd Márton was third in 23.67.
Sopron is Milák’s first competition since last year’s national championships which doubles as trials for the European Championships in Paris this summer. The likes of Hubert Kós, Nikolett Padar and Minna Abraham aren’t competing this week but will instead seek qualification at a selected meet before the end of June with Kós set to compete at a pro meet in the US in the coming weeks.
He won the 100 free on Thursday although he withdrew from the 200 fly final and just squeaked into Saturday’s 200 free decider courtesy of it being a 10-lane final, qualifying ninth in 1:51.96.
Friday represented the first time that Milák had beaten Szabó who’d won seven straight titles since 2019.
Németh Books European Berth
Nándor Németh: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Nándor Németh – second behind Milák in the individual 100 free in 48.44 – went 47.83 on the leadoff for the FTC quartet as they came second behind BVSC-ZUGLÓ in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. With that time he booked a slot on the Hungary team for the European Championships in Paris becoming only the second swimmer to do so after Vivien Jackl in the 1500 free on Thursday night.
“I asked several coaches to tell me professionally what could be behind the fact that I didn’t have a good day just yesterday,” he told the Hungarian federation. “Many people answered that it was completely different to swim next to Kristóf – but I have already stood up at the Olympics and World Championships next to (Kyle) Chalmers and (David) Popovici, and I always did my best.
“Yesterday I dropped the anchor at eighty, and today I felt the strength in myself that I could come in the second fifty. I have to analyse what made it go so differently, because today I felt great in the water, the 200m freestyle also went surprisingly well, so I stood on the relay thinking that I will definitely try the time under 48 again. I have to add that I have never managed to come under 48 at a national championship, so we are making very good progress, the joint training camps worked very well.”
Irene Ciercoles of Spain was the first to touch in the women’s final in 26.66 with Beatrix Tanko taking the title in 26.73 followed by Lora Komoroczy (26.96).
Ciercoles also got the touch in the 100 back in 1:00.19 with Fanni Kokas claiming the double in 1:00.86 following her 50 gold. Katalin Burian (1:01.40) took silver with Komoroczy taking bronze in 1:01.93.
Ádám Jászó clinched the 50/100 back double when he won the two-length title in 53.79. Benedek Kovacs came from fourth at halfway to finish second in 54.34 with Olivér Kós – younger brother of Olympic and world 200 back champion Hubert – claiming his second bronze in 54.49.
Gábor Zombori led from start to finish to take the men’s 200IM, posting the only sub-2min swim in 1:59.26 to add to his 200 breaststroke title on the opening day. Noah Zemansky of Austria was next to touch (2:03.19) with Ferdinánd Tamás Zanyi the second Hungarian home in 2:03.58 followed by Botond Kovacs (2:03.94).
The women’s 200IM podium was filled with younger swimmers coming through the pipeline. Sára Tombor took the title in 2:17.94 followed by Bianka Barta (2:19.54) with the 2011-born Anna Mátékovits third in 2:19.82.
Semi-Final Round-Up
- In the men’s 200 free Christian Gieffing of Austria was the only man to break 1:48 in 1:47.98 with Olivér Papai the first Hungarian in 1:48.59
- Ainhoa Campabadal of Spain progressed first in 2:00.21 in the women’s 200 free with Panna Ugrai the first Hungarian through in third in 2:02.27
- Zsombor Petroczi heads the men’s 100 breast in 1:01.01 with Henrietta Fangli leading the women’s semis in 1:08.85