Kristof Milak made a winning return to the water and Katinka Hosszu retraced her steps to the podium at the Hungarian Championships in Budapest.
Milak, the Olympic 200 fly champion and world record-holder, has been seldom seen in international waters since 2022 when he won the 100/200 double at the World Championships in the Hungarian capital before going on to replicate that at the European Championships in Rome.
In the latter, he also claimed silver behind David Popovici in the 100 free, setting a national record of 47.47 in the process.
Kristof Milak (centre): Photo Courtesy: Hungarian Swimming Federation
However, in June 2023, he withdrew from the World Championships in Fukuoka because of physical and mental exhaustion.
The three-time world champion was due to return at the Budapest stage of the World Cup in October last year – just 11 weeks after withdrawing from Fukuoka – but didn’t appear in front of his home crowd.
Come Tuesday and Milak was back on top of the podium at the Duna Arena as he won his fourth straight 100m free title in 48.38.
He has already booked spots in the 100 and 200 fly in Paris but Hosszu is still seeking her qualification to the Games.
Hosszu gave birth to daughter Kamila in August last year and on Tuesday returned to competition in the Hungarian capital.
The three-time Olympic champion led at the halfway point of the 200IM in 1:03.01 ahead of Boglárka Kapás (1:03.49) and Dalma Sebestyén (1:03.78).
But a 39.06 breaststroke leg propelled Sebestyén into pole position and she came home first in 2:13.75 ahead of Kapas (2:13.94).
Francesca Fresia of Italy followed in 2:14.52 with Hosszu the third Hungarian home in 2:15.50.
Henrietta Fángli set a Hungarian 100m breaststroke record of 1:07.50, lowering Ágnes Kovács standard of 1:07.79 that had stood since 2000.
Gábor Zombori swam within the Olympic ‘A’ cut in the men’s 200IM, going 1:57.88 to join Hubert Kos who’d already qualified in the short medley.
Other winners in Budapest:
Women
100m freestyle: Nikolett Pádár 54.64
1500m freestyle: Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas 16:11.73
50m backstroke: Lora Fanni Komoróczy 28.31
Men
1500m freestyle: Dávid Bethlehem 14:54.12
50m backstroke: Ádám Jászó 25.30
100m breaststroke: Dávid Horváth 1:03.28
Katinka lead at the halfway point (at what split time?) and ended third, behind winner Sebesteyn, 2:13.75, and Kapas.
WHAT WAS HOSSZU’S FINAL TIME?