Fly king Milak eyeing 100m free in Paris 2024

ROME • Kristof Milak had a busy Sunday, competing in three events over the span of an hour.

The Hungarian showed off his prowess in the butterfly as he won the 100m in 50.33 seconds at the European Championships, and he will seek to complete the double by winning the 200m fly today.

The 22-year-old came in 0.54sec ahead of Switzerland's Noe Ponti in second place with Pole Jakub Majerski (51.22) third.

Specialist Milak has been unbeatable in the 200m fly since winning at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, collecting gold at the Tokyo Olympics last year in the same event as well as a silver in the 100m fly.

In June, he won the same double at the World Championships in his home town Budapest.

But Milak has chosen to expand his repertoire here. Last week, he led his country to the 4x200m freestyle title in Rome and on Sunday, he anchored Hungary's men's team to the silver in the 4x100m freestyle relay behind hosts Italy, with Britain taking the bronze.

He did not compete in the individual free events at the Olympics or at the recent worlds but over the weekend, he revealed his intention to swim the 100m free at Paris 2024. Milak finished second to teen sensation and world-record holder David Popovici of Romania in that event on Saturday.

He may also add the 200m free to his programme in Paris, but Milak admitted he needed to improve if he is to be competitive after failing to qualify for the final, which Popovici won yesterday in 1min 42.97sec - the third-quickest time in history.

Despite his gold and silver medals on Sunday, Milak was upset he could not set up another clash, saying: "Tears in one of my eyes, smiling the other. I'm still a bit upset because of the 200m free where my duel will not happen with David. What makes me happy is this relay silver."

Elsewhere, France's Analia Pigree claimed the women's 50m backstroke in 27.27sec, almost 0.3sec slower than the world record with Italy's Silvia Scalia in second and Dutchwoman Maaike de Waard taking bronze.

"I'm absolutely happy, I'm in shock," Pigree said. "It's my first long-course championships and my first medal, and this gives me strong motivation to carry on."

Briton James Wilby, who won the 100m breaststroke at the Commonwealth Games, also took gold in the 200m breast in 2:08.96 with Finn Matti Mattsson in second and Italy's Luca Pizzini third.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE