Peter Bernek

Peter Bernek
Peter Bernek is a Hungarian swimmer originally from the country’s capital, Budapest. Born April 13, 1992 Bernek is a 2012 London Olympian, and a World Youth gold medalist. Standing 6’3″ Bernek is a distance freestyle and backstroke specialist, specializing mainly in the 200m backstroke and the 400m and 800m freestyle distances.

Early Career
Bernek debuted on the international level at the 2009 European Junior Championships held in Prague, winning silver in the 400m freestyle and the 200m backstroke. He was also a leg on Hungary’s 400m medley relay team that picked up a bronze medal. The same year he took his first World Youth Olympian title in 2010, where he won the 200m backstroke. In 2011, he stepped up to his first senior-level competition, taking bronze in the 200m backstroke at the Short Course European Championships.

2012 London Olympics
After just a few years on the swimming scene, Bernek qualified for Hungary’s Olympic Team in 2012. He qualified to swim in the 200m backstroke, where he didn’t advance from the heats, but the Hungarian 800m freestyle relay team finished in eighth place.

2013
In 2013 Bernek made waves in his best events – he followed up the Olympics by winning a silver medal in the 200m backstroke at the European Short Course Championships. But just a bit later, he proved his versatility by focusing on freestyle when he swam at the World Short Course Championships in Doha, winning gold in the 400m freestyle at his first World Championships taking down Grant Hackett’s championship record, which had been held since 1999.

2017 World Championships

In Budapest Bernek finished 8th in the 200 meter backstroke in 1:55.58 in front of a home crowd.

2017 SCM European Championships

On day two, Bernek won the 400 IM with a 3:59.47. He touched the wall 3.69 seconds ahead of Philip Heintz who took the second place. Bernek also placed second in the 400 freestyle behind Alexandr Krasnykh.