Kristof Milak is the 2020 Olympic champion in the 200 Butterfly. He is also a 2x world champion in the event and first man to break 1:51 in the 200m fly.
2017 FINA World Championships
Milak broke the World Junior Record in the 100m butterfly for the third time in two days, taking down the mark with a 50.62 and a silver medal in finals of the 2017 World Championships behind the winner, Team USA’s Caeleb Dressel (49.86).
Milak paced his swims perfectly, first setting the mark with a 51.23 Friday morning to qualify 5th, then going 50.77 to qualify 3rd in the semis, before wining the silver medal in the final, putting him ahead of last year’s Olympic gold medalist, Joseph Schooling. The 17 year-old Hungarian has been one of the breakout stars of this week, and also owns the World Junior Record in the 200m butterfly, which he set back in June at the European Junior Championships.
Notably, at the age of 17, Milak is over a second faster than the current world record holder, Michael Phelps, was as a junior. Phelps’ best time as a 17 year-old was a 51.84 at the 2003 Duel in the Pool and his fastest time as an 18 year-old was a 51.10 from the 2003 World Championships.
2018 European Junior Championships
Milak won four golds at the European Junior Championships, while also finishing fourth in the 100 back (54.70). He won gold in:
- 200 freestyle (1:47.19)
- 400 free (3:50.00),
- 100 fly (51.78),
- 200 fly (1:53.94)
2018 European Championships
Milak continued his summer success at the senior euro champs, touching first in the 200 fly in a championship record of 1:52.79, less than a tenth from his personal best. He also finished 4th in the 100 fly (51.51) just outside of medaling.
2019 FINA World Championships
Milak shocked swim fans to start his 2019 World Championships by not only breaking Michael Phelps’ 2009 200 Fly super-suited world record, but smashing it. Going out at 52.88, the exact same time helps was out in his world record swim, Milak charged home on the back half, eating up ground on the world record line in the last 75 and touching for a time of 1:50.73.
2021 European Championships (Budapest, Hungary)
At a home championships, Milak did not disappoint. He took wins in the 100 fly (50.18) and 200 fly (1:51.10), posting historic times in both.
2020 Olympic Games
At his first Olympic Games, Milak backed up his world record and world title in his pet event, the 200 fly. Milak swam a strong race from start to finish, taking the lead in the 2nd 100 and touching first in an Olympic record of 1:51.25.
Milak was back in the 100 fly, where he was expected to challenge Caeleb Dressel for Olympic gold. Milak lived up to those expectations in the final, eating up ground on Dressel on the 2nd 50 of the final, nearly taking the world-record holder down but ultimately touching 2nd at 49.62, becoming the 2nd-fastest man in history.
2022 World Championships
Milak started his meet in the 400 free relay for Hungary, splitting 46.89 on the end to help them get 5th. Milak then turned his focus to the 200 fly, where he cruised through semis in 1:52.39, one of the top-10 fastest times in history. In finals, he showed his true cards, taking it out in 51.8 and ultimately clocking a 1:50.34 for a new world record in front of a hometown crowd.
Milak was able to delight his home crowd once again in the 100 fly, sailing through to the final and ultimately dominating the file with a time of 50.14 to take home his 2nd world title of the meet.
