2024 HUNGARIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, April 9th – Friday, April 12th
- Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
- Prelims at 9am local (3am ET), Finals at 5pm local (11am ET)
- SwimSwam Preview #1/Preview #2
- Start Lists/Results
- Livestream (Prelims)
Day one of the 2024 Hungarian National Championships marked the return of two Olympic champions Kristof Milak and Katinka Hosszu.
Although he’s been largely out of the pool since last April’s Hungarian Championships, 24-year-old Milak already owns Olympic Qualification Times in the 100m (50.80) and 200m fly (1:52.58) from that competition.
At this year’s championships, 24-year-old Milak is entered in a hefty agenda of 6 events, with the first one being today’s 100m free.
Milak captured the top seed out of the morning heats, putting up a time of 49.02.
He opened in 23.62 and closed in 25.40 to carry a small lead into tonight’s final. Nandor Nemeth was next in 49.10 while Bence Szabados rounded out the top 3 performers in 49.16.
Milak owns a lifetime best of 47.47 in the 1free, a time he logged en route to snagging silver at the 2022 European Championships.
The World Aquatics Olympic Qualification Time rests at 48.34, a threshold under which Milak has been 4 times in his career.
As for 34-year-old Hosszu, the new mom raced in the women’s 200m IM this morning, one of the events where she won gold at the 2016 Olympic Games.
Hosszu checked in with a casual 2:16.58 to land lane 4 for this evening’s main event, splitting 28.88/34.32/40.35/33.03 in the process.
Francesca Fresia of Italy will flank the Hungarian with a morning swim of 2:17.24 while Boglarka Kapas will be on Hosszu’s other side in the final in 2:18.04.
5-time Olympian Hosszu’s last official swim meet represented by the 2022 European Championships.
There she went 2:14.37 in the 200 IM and 4:45.07 in the 400 IM. Her lifetime bests in the 200 IM and 400 IM are 2:06.12 (current world record) and 4:26.36 (former world record, broken by Summer McIntosh in April 2023), respectively.
I wonder why Kristof is even swimming the 100free. It strongly conflicts with the 200fly at in Paris (semis are back to back). I guess it shows confidence because if he thought he’d barely sneak onto the team, he’d only contest the events he’s focusing on
He is swimming it at nationals because he is gonna be part of the 4×100 free relay, which has decent chances of making the Olympic final. He’s not gonna swim it at the Olympics individually.
Lol Kristof not talking to media tonight. I wonder if they will get a single word out of him by the end of nationals.
Don’t blame him after them and his federation basically publicly trashed him. Good for him. Seems like he’s back on track.
Yep, that’s exactly what I mean.
If he can perform at this level missing 8 months of training, this guy will be ok for gold in 100 & 200 fly in Paris
Dad Strength Florida Gator, NCAA Taper King Liendo, Swiss Flying Pencil Ponti, Outback Mullet Man Temple, and MAXime GROOVEset would all like a say in this matter
Gold in Paris in the 100 fly?
Now that’s a much tougher ask than the 200 when you have Dressel, Ponti, Liendo, Temple, and LE CHAMPION DU MONDE GROUSSET in the mix
If Henrietta Fángli represents Hungary internationally, then she just broke Agnes Kovacs’s NR in the 100 breast from 2000.
Milak 48.38 very promising.
Milak 1st in 48.38. Right where he was last year at nationals.
48.38 for Milak
Sebesteyn wins 2;13;75, Hosszu 4th 2:15.50