Hubert Kós In Record-Breaking Form At Hungarian Championships; Henrietta Fangli Sets 100m Breaststroke Mark
Hubert Kós was on record-breaking form as he claimed two titles on the opening day of the Hungarian Championships in Kaposvár.
Kós was instrumental in leading Texas to the NCAA title last month and he continued this form in his home championships which double as trials for the Singapore worlds.
The 22-year-old set a Hungarian record of 24.63 in the 50m backstroke prelims to cut 0.13 from Richard Bohus’ standard of 24.76 that had stood since December 2018.
Hubert Kós: Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Kós returned in the evening to slice a further 0.01 to write another entry into the record books in 24.62. Adam Jaszo (25.01) and Benedek Kovacs (25.09) claimed the minor spoils.
It meant he extended his record-breaking streak to 10 after setting eight national standards – and a European mark in the 200 back – at the 2024 World Short-Course Championships in Budapest.
First up was the 200IM with his PB standing at 1:56.99 – the WJR – from the semis of the European Championships in Budapest in 2021 before he went on to finish fifth in the final.
The Olympic 200 back champion lowered that to 1:56.40 for the fifth-fastest performance by a Hungarian with only László Cseh having ever surpassed that in domestic waters, topped by his 1:55.18 – then a European record – in the semis at the 2009 World Championships in Rome before he went on to win silver behind Ryan Lochte who set a WR of 1:54.10.
It elevated him to second in the 2025 rankings behind Tomoyuki Matsushita and his 1:56.35 effort at the Japanese Championships last month.
Kós splits: 25.30/54.74 (29.44)/1:28.04 (33.30)/1:56.40 (28.36)
Gabor Zombori claimed second in 1:58.82 with Dominik Torok third in 1:58.92.
He then added two relay golds with BVSC-Zugló with victories in the mixed medley (3:51.37) and 4×1 free (3:29.73).
Kós, who doesn’t intend to compete in the 200IM in Singapore, said: “I managed to break the record in the morning, then I found out that I took the best time from Ricsi Bohus on his birthday, so I would like to say sorry and happy birthday, Ricsi. Then I came down in the afternoon, a little sick, plus it’s still eight in the morning for me, and I swam the best time of my life in the 200m medley, which makes me extremely happy. Then came another record, so I’m now at 10/10 record breaking at home in the backstroke with the World Championships in December, which is scary… After that, in the two relays, first a record plus seven tenths in the 100m backstroke, then a tenth worse time in the 100m freestyle compared to the Olympics – I can say that I am not dissatisfied, especially in this condition.”
Fangli Rewrites The Record Books
Henrietta Fangli also rewrote the Hungarian record books as she lowered her own standard in the 100m breaststroke. Fangli eclipsed Agnes Kovacs’ previous record that had stood since Sydney 2000 at the 2024 edition of the national championships in 1:07.50 before subsequently lowering that to 1:06.93 in December last year.
Fangli split 31.71/35.16 to post a time of 1:06.87 and head into the world top-10 performances so far this year but with World Championship trials about to get underway in earnest. Sara Lili Bozso (1:08.72) and Eszter Bekesi (1:09.44) were second and third respectively.
It was inside the cut for Singapore with Fangli saying: “The goal was clearly the World Championship level, which we finally managed to achieve… To do this, you had to improve six hundredths at the top, which is only six hundredths, but if you have to go better than your best time, you have it in you that you can’t be sure. I’m very happy that I succeeded.”
Nikolett Padar: Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
Kristóf Milák is competing at his first national championships under the guidance of Álmos Szabó after splitting with former coach Balázs Virth.
The two-time Olympic fly champion experienced some turbulent times in and out of the water which he detailed in a wide-ranging interview in February.
He claimed his first title in Kaposvár in the 100 free, Milák the only man inside 49secs in 48.76 with Jaszo second in 49.11 and Daniel Meszaras third in 49.43.
Nikolett Padar won the women’s equivalent in 55.06 ahead of Panna Ugrai (55.24) and Petra Senanszky (55.48).
Betlehem Heads To Top Of 1500 Rankings
David Betlehem pulled away from Zalan Sarkany at the halfway stage of the 1500 free before going on to stop the clock at 14:48.73 as he propelled himself to the top of the rankings. It’s the third-fastest time of Betlehem’s career topped by his Hungarian record of 14:40.91 en-route to fourth place at the Paris Olympics.
Kristof Rasovszky was second in 14:52.82 with Sarkany third in 15:03.26.
Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas headed the women’s race in 16:11.71 ahead of Ajna Kesely (16:18.77) and Napsugar Nagy (16:21.75).
Dalma Sebasteyen won the women’s 200IM in 2:16.53 with Bianka Barta edging Timea Noémi Urogi by 0.01 in a duel for second in 2:19.75 to 2:19.76. Nika Sharafutdinova of Ukraine headed the women’s 50 back in 28.88 with Katalin Burian the first Hungarian home in 29.03.
Valentin Bayer headed the men’s 100m breaststroke in 1:00.17 ahead of Adrian Robinson (1:02.47) and Marcos Egri-Martin (1:02.71) with the latter the first Hungarian home.
