Picture this: Hungary's swimming elite are making waves right from the opening night of the Short Course Championships, shattering records and claiming victories that could pave their path to European glory. But here's the bombshell most fans are buzzing about – their superstar, Kristof Milak, is nowhere in sight. Is his absence a strategic pause or something more concerning in the high-stakes world of competitive swimming? Let's dive into the details and see what unfolded on Day One, where young talents and seasoned pros alike turned heads with their performances.
Taking place from Wednesday, November 5th through Saturday, November 8th in Debrecen, Hungary, the 2025 Hungarian Short Course Championships (held in a 25-meter pool) are not just about national pride; they're a crucial qualifier for spots on the roster heading to this year's European Short Course Championships. Swimmers are pushing boundaries in these compact pools, where every stroke counts more intensely than in long-course events – think faster turns and less room for error, making it a thrilling test of speed and endurance. For newcomers to swimming coverage, short course means races are held in a 25-meter pool instead of the standard 50-meter Olympic setup, often leading to quicker overall times and a different tactical approach. You can catch all the action live here (https://live.musz.hu/event/program?OnlineEventId=181299304) or read our full preview for more context (https://swimswam.com/kristof-milak-absent-from-this-weeks-hungarian-sc-championships/).
The action kicked off with a bang in the men's 200-meter individual medley, where 23-year-old Gabor Zombori (https://swimswam.com/tag/gabor-zombori/) emerged victorious in a commanding 1:55.58. For those unfamiliar, the IM combines butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle – it's like a full-body swimming marathon in one race. Zombori pulled ahead significantly, leaving Botond Kovacs (https://swimswam.com/tag/botond-kovacs/) to claim silver in 1:58.42 and Austria's Christian Giefing (https://swimswam.com/tag/christian-giefing/) to round out the podium with a bronze in 1:58.49. Zombori's time was impressively close to his personal best of 1:54.93 from last year's Short Course World Championships, where he placed 13th in the heats amid a supportive home crowd – a testament to how these national meets can serve as stepping stones to global stages.
On the women's side, Eszter Szabo-Feltothy (https://swimswam.com/tag/eszter-szabo-feltothy/) stole the show in the 200m IM, clocking a strong 2:10.62 to edge out Dalma Sebestyen (https://swimswam.com/tag/dalma-sebestyen/), who took silver just 0.12 seconds behind in 2:10.74. Laura Zsebok secured the bronze with 2:11.17. At 23 years old, Szabo-Feltothy's performance was a personal triumph, smashing her previous best of 2:11.76 from two years ago and elevating her from 10th to 9th in Hungary's all-time women's rankings. It's moments like these that highlight how a single race can redefine a swimmer's legacy.
The men's 100m freestyle was a nail-biter, with Adam Jaszo (https://swimswam.com/tag/adam-jaszo/) breaking through the 47-second mark for the first time in his career, finishing in 46.58 after splits of 22.71 and 23.87. He narrowly outpaced reigning national record holder Nandor Nemeth (https://swimswam.com/bio/nandor-nemeth/), who started strong with a 22.37 split but slowed to 24.23 in the second half, ending up with silver in 46.60. Levente Mozsarik grabbed bronze in 47.36. This event exemplifies the razor-thin margins in sprint swimming, where hundredths of a second can decide medals – imagine the pressure of maintaining speed over just 100 meters!
And this is the part most people miss: While not on the podium, 17-year-old Sebestyen Papp (https://swimswam.com/tag/sebestyen-papp/) made history by setting a new Hungarian Age Record for his age group in the 100m free, stopping the clock at 48.26 and trimming 0.10 from the previous mark of 48.36 set by Boldizsar Magda in 2022. Papp didn't stop there – in his second race of the night, the men's 50m backstroke, he secured silver in 23.84, just behind Jaszo's winning 23.79. Gabor Zombori added to his medal haul with bronze in 24.04. Papp's 23.84 also shattered the 17-year-old age record by 0.01, surpassing Kristof Milak's 23.85 from 2017. It's inspiring to see young talents like Papp breaking barriers so early, raising questions about the future of Hungarian swimming.
Speaking of Milak, the absence of the world record holder and Olympic champion – who hasn't raced since April's National Championships and skipped this year's World Championships – has stirred quite the debate. According to the Hungarian Swimming Federation, he's been focusing solely on land-based training lately (https://hunswim.com/szerdatol-rovidpalyas-ob-debrecenben/). Is this a smart recovery strategy, or are we witnessing the end of an era? Some argue it's controversial for a star of his caliber to sit out major qualifiers, potentially derailing team chemistry. What do you think – should top athletes prioritize rest over competition, even if it means missing out on key events?
Records continued to fall on the women's side, too. Napsugar Nagy achieved a new Hungarian Age Record in the 1500m freestyle, finishing with a silver medal in 16:06.81. This event tests pure endurance, requiring swimmers to maintain pace over 30 lengths of the pool – about 1,500 meters, or roughly 15 times the length of a standard pool. Nagy's time bested the prior record of 16:09.33 set by Viktoria Mihalyvari-Farkas six years ago. National record holder Ajna Kesely (https://swimswam.com/bio/ajna-kesely/), who sat out the summer due to injury, claimed gold in 16:04.08, with Mihalyvari-Farkas taking bronze in 16:13.60. Kesely's return is a reminder of how injuries can force strategic withdrawals, only to lead to triumphant comebacks.
In the men's 100m breaststroke, Austrian visitors dominated the top spots. Olympian Christopher Rothbauer (https://swimswam.com/tag/christopher-rothbauer/), at 27 years old, led the way with gold in 58.02 – just 0.50 off his career best of 57.52 from 2019. Fellow Austrian Valentin Bayer (https://swimswam.com/tag/valentin-bayer/) was second in 59.37, and Zombori snagged his third medal of the evening with bronze in 59.94. Breaststroke is unique for its underwater phases and powerful kicks, making it a favorite for those who excel in strength and buoyancy – Rothbauer's performance shows how international talent can spice up domestic meets.
Wrapping up the day's highlights, 21-year-old Panna Ugrai (https://swimswam.com/tag/panna-ugrai/) proved her versatility by medaling in two events. In the women's 100m free, she won gold with a personal best of 53.17, edging out Petra Senanszky (https://swimswam.com/tag/petra-senanszky/) in 53.57 and Austria's Marlene Kahler (https://swimswam.com/tag/marlene-kahler/) in 55.20. The 50m backstroke saw Ugrai take silver in 27.57, a second behind Lora Fanni Komoroczy (https://swimswam.com/tag/lora-fanni-komoroczy/)'s winning 26.57 – her fourth-best time ever. Kincso Hanna Szabo rounded out the podium with bronze in 27.92. Ugrai's double success underscores the value of training across multiple events, as backstroke demands precise technique for flips and catches.
Additional Notes
National record holder Henrietta Fangli (https://swimswam.com/tag/henrietta-fangli/) dominated the women's 100m breaststroke with 1:05.39, her splits of 31.15 and 34.24 giving her over a second lead. Laura Zsebok was second in 1:07.04, and Romania's Brigitta Vass (https://swimswam.com/tag/brigitta-vass/) took bronze in 1:08.00. Fangli, who switched from Romania to Hungary, recently became Houston's first All-American since 1986 at age 24 – a story of national allegiance and academic-athletic balance that adds layers to her achievements.
David Betlehem (https://swimswam.com/tag/david-betlehem/) cruised to victory in the men's 1500m freestyle with 14:27.39, his second-best career performance (behind 14:23.27 from 2023's championships). He recently shone in open water, winning 10k gold at Italy's World Aquatics Open Water World Cup, where Kristof Rasovszky (https://swimswam.com/tag/kristof-rasovszky/) finished 44th. Rasovszky claimed silver here in 14:58.62, tied with Mate Karpati (https://swimswam.com/tag/mate-karpati/) for the bronze – Karpati's first sub-15:00 time, improving from his 15:07.61 last year. This distance event is a grind, requiring mental toughness as much as physical stamina, and Karpati's breakthrough illustrates how national meets can unlock new potential.
In This Story
- Ajna Kesely (https://swimswam.com/bio/ajna-kesely/)
Ajna Kesely (https://swimswam.com/bio/ajna-kesely/)
- Nandor Nemeth (https://swimswam.com/bio/nandor-nemeth/)
Nandor Nemeth (https://swimswam.com/bio/nandor-nemeth/)
About Retta Race
Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.
Read More » (https://swimswam.com/bio/retta-race/)
With records tumbling and young stars rising, the 2025 Hungarian Short Course Championships are off to a riveting start – but Milak's absence begs the question: Is this the dawn of a new generation, or a missed opportunity for the old guard? What are your thoughts on prioritizing rest versus risking injury in elite sports? Do you agree that international competitors add excitement, or should national meets stay home-focused? Share your opinions in the comments – let's discuss!
