2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- July 23 to 30, 2023
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Marine Messe Fukuoka
- LCM (50m)
- WORLD CHAMPS WATCH PARTY – DAILY
- Meet Central
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- Entry Book
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Live Recap
- Day 6 Finals Live Recap
MEN’S 200 BACKSTROKE – FINAL
- World Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
- World Junior Record: Kliment Kolesnikov, Russia – 1:55.14 (2017)
- Championship Record: Aaron Peirsol, United States – 1:51.92 (2009)
- 2022 World Champion: Ryan Murphy, United States – 1:54.52
Top 8:
- Hubert Kos (HUN) — 1:54.14
- Ryan Murphy (USA) — 1:54.83
- Roman Mityukov (SUI) — 1:55.34
- Mewen Tomac (FRA) — 1:55.79
- Benedek Kovacs (HUN) — 1:55.85
- Bradley Woodward (AUS) — 1:56.29
- Hugo Gonzalez (ESP) — 1:56.33
- Daiki Yanagawa (JPN) — 1:58.75
Hubert Kos swam a 1:54.14 to set a new Hungarian national record in the 200 back on Friday en route to the world title. That time broke the old record of 1:55.58, which was set back in 2017 by Peter Bernek.
Split Comparison:
| Kos | Bernek | |
| 50 | 27.04 | 27.35 |
| 100 | 28.78 | 29.44 |
| 150 | 29.05 | 29.61 |
| 200 | 29.27 | 29.18 |
| 1:54.14 | 1:55.58 |
The 20-year-old rising Arizona State sophomore was faster than Bernek on all three of the first 50s, with the biggest difference coming on the second 50 as Kos was 0.66 seconds faster.
Kos came into finals as the third seed after swimming a 1:55.99 in semifinals. He picked up the win tonight, earning him his first World title. That also earned Hungary not only its first gold of the meet, but also its first medal overall.
Coming into Worlds, Kos had a best time of 1:55.95 which he swam at Pro Swim-Westmont in the US earlier this year in April. Prior to this summer, Kos had a personal best of a 1:57.64.
This now marks the third national record for Kos. Earlier in the meet at Worlds, he swam a 53.12 in prelims of the 100 back setting a new LCM 100 back record. In addition, Kos also holds the SCM 100 IM national record.
Magyarovits Zoltán was Hubi’s coach for almost 10 years, let’s mention his name as well, the beautiful technique comes from his earlier years, his 100 fly will be also great in the near future, I think with Leon being there, he should concentrate on 100/200 back plus 100 fly.
Choosy — Yes. Thank you to Coach Zoltan, and any other coach who had input. And Hubi had great support from his parents as well. He wasn’t just set adrift in the US from Hungary. His parents were at at least the Pac-12 and NCAA, and I believe one or two of the ASU duals. Great people. Westmont and Sun Devil I don’t know, but I did see them in a crowd shot in Fukuoka.
Lots of time to determine further event choices. Other than the 200 Back, it isn’t really clear what else he might swim. 2 IM, 4IM, 1Back, 1Fly, … 2 Fly? There may also be different choices SCY and LCM, with the event schedule, and teammates… Read more »
“The Bowman Effect.” Interesting. Prompts me to look at Hubie’s history and progress across the last few cycles.
Obviously, he had a pretty good headstart, arriving to Bowman already the World Junior Record holder (1:56.99) in the LCM 200 IM and European champion at the same event.
In the fall he swam in all three legs of the 2022 SCM World Cup series across Berlin (10/21-23, 1:52.8 2bk, 1:53, 4:06 IMs), Toronto (10/28-30, 2 events, prelims only) and Indianapolis (11/3-5, 1:52.45 2BK PB). ASU finished its fall competition schedule at the NC State Invitational 11/17-19.
I don’t know when Hubie started actually training with Bob. Did he join them after Indianapolis? Did he return home and then come back… Read more »
As one who follows ASU swimming I can say that Kos started training at ASU in early January and stayed training at ASU right up to when he left Arizona to go to the World Championship
Kos just looks so easy when he is swimming fast
Agreed, beautiful technique. Also looks as if he has neve lifted weights. Would really like to see what he can do in other events (100/200 fly, 200/400 IM). Maybe we get an all Bowman coached 200 IM podium next year.
I don’t know which three you are talking about (Marchand, Kos, Kalisz?) but it seems there might be a better chance of that podium (with possibility of Litherland if he can beat out Kalisz and/or Foster in US Trials. How about an entire Bowman podium, plus 4th, in the 400 IM (depending on meet schedule), as Kalisz has a better chance there and while Hubie hasn’t done a focused 400 IM LCM for a bit he was 4th in the NCAA 400 IM in a meet where he was 3rd in the 200 Bk. Fun thinking.
Amazing swim, hopefully men’s 200 back will finally become fast again. Kos will hopefully go 1:53 low or 1:52 high next year.
It looks like Murphy has ~40 lbs of muscle on Kos. I think that extra mass is not so helpful over 200m. Glad for Kos, but as an American I hope our guys learn something from what he’s doing.
Also it’s probably just my Hungarian bias talking but Kos was about the same distance in time from the 200 back WR than Marchand was from the 200 fly. So not a bad swim at all.
If one looks at the Westmont video where Kos and Marchand are swimming next to each other it is apparent that the two are very close in the fly and back but Marchand has the better breast stroke.
Delightful swim! Expect him to make further progress before the Olympics.
Well he was 1:56.99 in the 200im as a junior in 2020 so it’s clear the talent was there. Interesting that Bowman has shifted his focus to the backstrokes, tho it’s obviously paying off so far
Probably knew he had a better chance for gold here instead of the 200 IM, especially after his 100 back. He was entered in the 200 IM but scratched.
He scratched because he didn’t want to risk his possible medal in the 200 back, not because he would have only swum for silver in the 200 IM.