Kristof Milak To Take On Four Events As 23-Strong Hungary Team Is Announced For World Championships
Kristof Milak will take on four individual events after a 23-strong Hungary team was announced for the World Championships in Fukuoka.
The 23-year-old will defend the 100 and 200 fly titles he won at the 2022 worlds in Budapest and he’ll also contest the 100 and 200 free in Japan.
Milak said during last week’s Hungarian Championships that he was looking to focus on the free, motivated by the challenge that awaits in the form of David Popovici.
He was second over two lengths behind the Romanian at the 2022 European Championships in a Hungarian mark of 47.47 as Popovici set a world record of 46.86.
Hubert Kós: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Milak heads to Japan having never been beaten in a senior international long-course pool in the 200 fly in which he’s the Olympic, world and European champion and world record-holder.
He was beaten in home waters in Hungary by Tamas Kenderesi at Hungarian Nationals in December 2020 when Milak was still recovering from covid-19.
At last week’s trials in Kaposvár, he went 1:52.58 for his 12th journey inside 1:53 in a time only he, Michael Phelps and Daiya Seto have bettered.
There were also wins in the 100 fly (50.80), 100 free (48.40) and 200 free (1:46.68) plus second in the 50 free (22.06) and 50 fly (23.27).
Twelve men and 11 women were selected to the Hungary team following trials although swimmers can still make the roster in events where one or both of the slots are free.
Hubert Kós will also contest four events – the 100 fly, 200IM and 100 and 200 back.
Zsuzsanna Jakabos will compete in her 10th World Championships at 34 with Dávid Verrasztó celebrating his 35th birthday three weeks after the meet ends.
Hungary Team For World Championships
Men
Dávid Betlehem, Balázs Holló, Hubert Kós, Benedek Kovács, Richard Márton, Kristóf Milák, Nándor Németh, Kristóf Rasovszky, Sebasztián Szabó, Áron Székely, Dávid Verrasztó, Gábor Zombori
Women
Katalin Burián, Bettina Fábián, Nóra Flück, Zsuzsanna Jakabos, Boglárka Kapás, Ajna Késely, Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas, Nikolett Pádár, Dalma Sebestyén, Petra Senánszky, Eszter Szabó-Feltóthy