BUDAPEST – Star-studded line-up at the 2011 edition of the Hungarian Universities‘ and Colleges‘ Swimming Championships: reigning World and European Champions, Olympic medallists and a Paralympic Champion raced for the medals in Budapest.
One of the best championships ever was staged in Hungary as the nations‘ top swimmers all took part in the event. Probably it was Laszlo Cseh’s outstanding efforts in Shenzen – he earned three gold medals at the Summer Universiade – which pushed the other great athletes to join the party this time. Besides Cseh – three-time Olympic silver medallist in Beijing – Daniel Gyurta, the reigning World Champion over the 200m breaststroke was the biggest star of the meet. Krisztian Takacs, Bence Biczo and Eva Risztov were also finalists at this year’s FINA World Championships in Shanghai.
Laszlo Cseh was up to the task:he collected nine medals in nine events, five of them gold. „Though I’ve just returned from a really tough training camp I enjoyed the meet, but I have to admit, after the 200m individual medley I was just as tired as after a rather hard training session…“, he said.
One of Cseh’s rare defeat in an individual event came from Daniel Gyurta who touched in first over the 100m breaststroke. This was the first appearance of Gyurta in a university meet and he really enjoyed the atmosphere. „You know, it’s fine to take part in races without the huge tension“ Gyurta smiled. „If everything goes as planned I will participate in the next Universiade in Kazan!“
Eva Risztov, representing the University of Debrecen – former European champion and multiple world medallist before the 2004 Olympic Games – competed in six events and won each of them. She would have been a sure bet in the open water swimming championships, had it been held as she also prepares to earn a berth for London in the 10km marathon swimming.
In the men’s 4x100m medley relay the University of Pécs triumphed:the fly leg was swum by Tamas Sors, Paralympic Champion in Beijing. Interestingly enough, the multiple World and European Champion could keep up the pace with the those with full body capabilities (he managed to add a 6th place over the 100m fly event) and could stand on the top of the podium with his team-mates.
As a conclusion of the meet the uniqe 10x50m free relay was held:ten institutes were able to field a 10-member strong team and the Budapest Corvinus University came home first.
(Source: Gergely Csurka, MESF Media Officer)
Laszlo Cseh
Eva Risztov
Daniel Gyurta
