Kristof Milak reportedly skipped local television interviews and the post-race press conference after winning Olympic gold in the men’s 100 butterfly on Saturday, extending a year-long streak of silence with Hungarian media.
The 24-year-old Hungarian has experienced harsh treatment in his home country since pulling out of the 2023 World Championships, saying he “hit rock bottom” and needed to “recharge his batteries.” Coaches and media alike ostracized Milak for missing training sessions over the past year and showing a lack of dedication toward his Paris Olympic preparations.
Although he couldn’t hold off French star Leon Marchand (1:51.21) in his signature 200 fly event earlier this week, Milak got redemption in the 100 fly by rallying past Canada’s Josh Liendo (49.99) for the victory in 49.90. Despite a thrilling comeback finish, Milak barely cracked a smile after his win, which improved upon his runner-up finish behind Caeleb Dressel a few years ago in Tokyo.
“He’s a bit more than special — very special,” Hungarian national team coach Csaba Sos said. “I don’t have any idea why he doesn’t speak because he’s doing the same with Hungarian media. I was a swimmer, and when I competed, I loved to talk.”
Sos called out Milak last December, claiming he hadn’t done any meaningful work for months. Sos also said he was still in the dark about why Milak missed half a year. As recently as the Mare Nostrum Tour in May, Hungarian trainer Balazs Virth was still criticizing Milak by saying “his endurance is far from what it used to be.”
In the 100 fly, Milak was a couple tenths slower than his 49.68 from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. In the 200 fly, he was exactly half a second shy of his 1:51.25 from Tokyo.
Milak wasn’t around to share his perspective on his comeback, so reporters asked Canadian bronze medalist Ilya Kharun about him.
“I thought he was going to be really mean at first,” Kharun said of Milak. “All these rumors and stuff, but he was actually really nice. He was very supportive.”
> wins the 100 fly
> refuses to elaborate
> leaves
Ladies and gentleman we have our first 45 split of the sports history
45.92 HOLY F***
Milak trained in Texas!
Since when? From what I’ve seen, majority of his training if not all of it is in Hungary. Are you thinking of the other Hungarian Kos who swims at Texas?
His reaction to winning the 100 fly will be the most memorable moment of these Olympics
Milak: “I prefer not to speak. If I speak, I am in big trouble.”
Should move to Texas
The US can be quite the cultural shock for many Hungarians. Training aside, I don’t know how much it would suit him.
Australia is so much more laid back and so far away from Hungary.
Australia’s sending thousands of their own people to concentration camps during Covid was a charming example of their laid backness!
touch grass
Milak in 2021 after the Tokyo Olympics:
“And now I think I’m really just swimming for myself now. I swam until now because I had to be an Olympic champion and I had to beat this person and that person, but now as an Olympic champion everyone knows – I hope – that they will leave me alone. And now I can do it for myself at the pace I want. With the people I want, with the preparation method I want.”
And people still won’t leave him alone
No, on the contrary, it got a lot worse since Tokyo even if he asked to be left alone.