Dalma Sebestyen overhauled Katinka Hosszu in the 200IM to win by 0.01 at the Hungarian Nationals while Kristof Milak opened his campaign with victory in the 100 free in Debrecen.
The championships represent the final opportunity for swimmers to achieve a qualification time for the World Championships in Budapest in June.
Some have already gained those standards at previous events including the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo although it is possible to oust swimmers should they perform better in Debrecen.
Katinka Hosszu: Photo Courtesy: Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Sebestyen was 0.85 behind Hosszu at the final turn before a 30.80 last 50 propelled her alongside and then past by the 2016 Olympic champion for the narrowest of victories in 2:12.20 to 2:12.21.
Réka György was next home in 2:14.23.
Sebestyen then returned to take second in the 100m breaststroke in 1:09.80 behind Aliz Kalmar (1:09.31).
Hubert Kos opened the evening programme with a 1:57.64 victory in the 200IM in which he led from gun to tape.
Dominik Török and Balázs Holló contested their own private duel throughout with the former always with a slight advantage, stopping the clock at 1:59.02 to 1:59.11.
Kristof Milak: Photo Courtesy: LaPresse_Alfredo Falcone/Arena
Milak was third at halfway in 23.57 behind Szebasztián Szabó (23.29) and Nándor Németh (23.46) before coming home in 25.14 to take the touch in 48.71.
Németh was second in 48.87 with Szabó completing the podium in 49.07.
Nikoletta Pádár – winner of the 200 free at last year’s European Junior Championships – won the women’s 100 in 54.85.
Fanni Gyurinovics took second in 55.12 with Dora Molnar – who won continental junior 4×100 free bronze with Pádár in Rome last July – next home in 55.47.
Ajna Kesely, the 2018 European silver medallist, led from start to finish to win the women’s 400 free in 4:07.74 with Bettina Fabian making inroads on the final 50 in 4:07.81.
Pádár rounded out off a fine evening in third in 4:13.92.
Kristóf Rasovszky, winner of the marathon silver in Tokyo, took the men’s 400 free title in 3:49.01.
Lora Fanni Komoróczy won the women’s 50 back in 28.40 with Richard Bohus taking the men’s in 25.52.