Hungary went 1-2 in the boys’ 200 butterfly final, with Tamas Kenderesi (1:55.95) and Benjamin Gratz (1:57.71) earning the top two spots on the podium in the final session of the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
On Friday afternoon, it was hard to notice Hungary put another check-mark in the recent dominance of this event that much of the world is struggling to really embrace (see Pan Pacs, where there were very few entries – only one between men’s and women’s races combined for Australia).
After Liliana Szilagyi won the girls’ race earlier in the meet, Bence Biczo won the boys’ 200 fly back in 2010, and Boglarka Kapas won the girls’ 200 fly four years ago.
This means that of four gold medals awarded to date at the Youth Olympic Games in the 200 fly, Hungary has won all four.
Laszlo Cseh won the senior men’s medal in 2012 at Euros, and Katinka Hosszu has won the last two European titles and is favored to win again this week in Berlin.
The junior swims aren’t just impressive against weaker competition, either. Szilagyi at the time of her swim ranked in the world’s top three, and Kenderesi at just 17, ranks him in the top 15 in the world as well.
It’s really incredible how the Hungarian machine has built up this quality in this one event, across both genders, unlike anything we’ve ever seen in the 200 fly (unless you count East Germany and Germany in the 1980’s). It’s not just one or two swimmers either, it’s an incredible depth in this event that far outshines anything else Hungary is doing in swimming right now.
I meant isn’t czeh as old or older than phelps ? Is he just hanging around hoping phelps and lochte will finally retire ?
Wasn’t chad le clos in that 200 fly race in 2010 ? Obviously le clos has developed a lot quicker and already won this event twice in the big meets. The reality is that a good number of these YOG won’t improve that much. Btw isn’t czeh as older than phelps ? I bet he is hanging around hoping phelps and lochte will quit and so he can
There’s a lot of depth in Hungarian swimming period right now, with older stars hanging around and young ones emerging! Even their relays are winning medals! My theory is that their swimmers emphasize the kick (the upward thrust as well as the downward one), in their stroke; too many athletes try to grind through with upper body strength like they do in the 100 fly, and not only does that exhaust the arms it causes the legs to drag and makes it harder to maintain the undulation necessary to take a relaxed breath. That’s my $0.02. Good job Hungarian coaches!