Panna Ugrai Wraps Up Hungarian Championships With Two Golds In 40 Minutes And Six In Total
The Hungarian Short-Course Championships wrapped up on Saturday with Panna Ugrai claiming two more golds in the space of 40 minutes to take her total to six following the four-day competition in Kaposvár.
Ugrai, who won double relay gold at the 2024 European Championships in Belgrade, enjoyed a clear win in the 100IM, clocking 1:00.23 ahead of Dalma Sebestyen (1:01.35).
The 20-year-old followed that up with a commanding 57.62 victory in the 100 fly where she finished 1.05 ahead of Szonya Szokol (58.67) with Flora Molnar third in 58.80.
That followed victories in the 50/100 back, 50 fly and 100 free as well as 200 free silver and bronze in the 50 free to make it eight medals in all for Ugrai.
She said through the Hungarian Federation: “As I get older, I become more experienced, maybe that’s why I manage to improve, and my coach and I are trying to make steady progress.”
Elsewhere, Vivien Jackl won the 800 free in 8:23.67 for her third title of the meet following 400IM gold and her tie for first with Ajna Kesely in the 1500. Kesely was second on Saturday in 8:28.28.
Máté Hartmann clinched the men’s 800/1500 double, clocking 7:50.01, with Olympic 10k champion Kristof Rasovszky second in 7:50.16.
Rasovszky said: “I missed exactly a month after the Olympics because I was in the water for the first time on September 9 and I’m still training once a day, so I have fewer metres, it really shows in my stamina.
“Today I still led for half the distance, but even though I pushed – and especially 10 minutes after the 200 back (in which he finished fourth) – it was quite clear that this is not the same now that I am (when I am) in normal shape, like this time last year, not to mention the Olympics.
“Nevertheless, I took on seven events, which is not a small number, and they did not go badly and although I did not manage to win, I still won medals and except for one of them I reached the final so this is exactly right for my current state.
“Now I needed this slightly easier restart, because next year there is a World Championship, an Open Water European Championship, so there will be plenty of challenges, and I want to maintain the level that is worthy of me.”
Richard Marton completed the 100/200 fly double with a 51.76 victory in the shorter race as he held off the fast-finishing Zoltan Bagi (51.91).
Adam Telegdy won the men’s 200 back in 1:53.09 with Dora Molnar claiming the women’s title in 2:06.49;
David Horvath claimed the breaststroke treble, stopping the clock at 27.45 in the 50m while Sebestyen won the women’s race in 31.49 for her second trip to the podium on Saturday.
