Zsuzsanna Jakabos Selected To Hungary Squad For European S/C Championships, 18 Years After First International Medal
Zsuzsanna Jakabos will compete at next month’s European Short-Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania, 18 years after she made her first trip to the senior international podium.
The 34-year-old is among 20 swimmers selected to the Hungary squad alongside the likes of Szebasztián Szabó – winner of the 50 free and fly plus 100 fly at the 2021 edition in Kazan, Russia, European long-course relay champion Nándor Németh and Nikolett Pádár, the 17-year-old who claimed four golds among five medals at the 2023 European Junior Championships in Belgrade.
Jakabos won bronze in the 400IM at the 2005 continental short-course meet in Trieste, Italy, and has two golds among 10 overall medals.
The selection of eight men and 12 women follows the four-day Hungarian nationals in Debrecen where Jakabos and David Verraszto both claimed victories 20 years after their first trip to the top of the rostrum.
The Hungary squad features a mix of swimmers with experience on the highest stage and youngsters who have shone in international junior waters.
Dávid Betlehem set a national 1500 free record of 14:23.27 in Debrecen following a battle with Kristóf Rasovszky which Zalán Sárkány followed up on the final evening with 7:34.41 in the 800 but none of the trio travel to Otopeni for the meet from 5-10 December.
Betlehem and Rasovszky will compete at the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Madeira on 2-3 December with the latter also completing his final university exams next month.
Sárkány prefers long-course competition such as the Győr Open with an eye on Olympic ‘A’ times.
Hungary team for the European Short-Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania, from 5-10 December:
Men:
Holló Balázs
Ádám Jászó
Benedek Kovács
Richárd Márton
Olivér Nell
Nándor Németh
Szebasztián Szabó
Gábor Zombori
Women:
Nóra Flück
Vivien Jackl
Zsuzsanna Jakabos
Boglárka Kapás
Ajna Késely
Lora Fanni Komoróczy
Dóra Molnár
Napsugár Nagy
Nikolett Pádár
Petra Senánszky
Eszter Szabó-Feltóthy
Panna Ugrai