2022 MARE NOSTRUM TOUR
- Wednesday, May 25th & Thursday, May 26h
- Club Natació Sant Andreu, Barcelona
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Entries – Barcelona
- Livestream
- Results
Hungarian star Kristof Milak left the field in his wake on Thursday during the second night of finals from the 2022 Mare Nostrum Tour in Barcelona, dominating the men’s 200 fly field en route to setting a new series record.
The 22-year-old Olympic gold medalist was in a tight race with South African Chad Le Clos through the first 100 meters, but Milak pulled away on the back half and went on to win comfortably in a time of 1:53.89.
That swim broke both the Barcelona and overall Mare Nostrum Series Record of 1:54.42, set by Le Clos back in 2016.
Trofeu Internacional Ciutat de Barcelona – Circuit @MareNostrumswim |
🏊♂️ 200 BUTTERFLY
🥇KRISTOF MILAK 1:53,89 ‼️ RÈCORD TROFEU INTERNACIONAL CIUTAT DE BARCELONA I RÈCORD DEL CIRCUIT MARE NOSTRUM
🥈NOE PONTI 1:56,03
🥉LEONARDO DE DEUS 1:56,18@nataciocat pic.twitter.com/kGszbUjqTp— CN Sant Andreu (@CNsantandreu) May 26, 2022
Milak’s swim falls just .01 shy of his season-best 1:53.88, set at the Hungarian Championships last month, which ranks him second in the world this season behind Olympic silver medalist Tomoru Honda (1:53.87) of Japan.
Split Comparison
More conservative on the opening 50, Milak was nearly seven-tenths quicker on the third 50 compared to his splitting last month.
| Milak, April 2022 | Milak, May 2022 |
| 24.86 | 25.20 |
| 53.93 (29.07) | 54.30 (29.10) |
| 1:24.24 (30.31) | 1:23.93 (29.63) |
| 1:53.88 (29.64) | 1:53.89 (29.96) |
Le Clos’ splits from the previous Mare Nostrum Record aren’t fully available (missing the 50 splits on the back half), though he was 54.69 at the 100 before closing in 59.73, compared to Milak’s 54.30/59.59.
In Barcelona, Switzerland’s Noe Ponti emerged as the runner-up in a time of 1:56.03, followed by Brazilian veteran Leonardo de Deus (1:56.18) and then Le Clos (1:56.38).
Milak set the world record of 1:50.73 in the event at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, and followed up by winning Olympic gold last summer in 1:51.25.
He notably produced the second-fastest swim of his career right around this time last year, 1:51.10, but that was at the European Championships, which were in May in 2021 but will be held in August this year.
In one month’s time, Milak will be eyeing a title defense of his World Championship crown before seeking a third straight European title later in the summer.
I think he is not happy with his form. He said he was sick before and after the nationals, and very far from where he wants to be, and that better times expected at Europeans, rather than worlds.
Sadly his new teammates brutally underperforming. Only Márton has some decent times at the nationals.
Personally I think Virth is not the right coach for him.
I think Kapas is dealing with an injury.
Its true, she has or had a lower back injury. Missed like nearly two month of training. But a junior girl and two guys are in the Virth team, one of them is Gábor Zombori, a youth 400 freestyle world champion.
He is nowhere to his old form.
The other girl is Laura Veres, who is still just 17 and I dont know why she will race the at the European Championship. She should still race at the youth level. Her times in 200 free are like 3 seconds slower then last year.
This was Milák 19th swim under 1:54. The rest of the world has 39.
Phelps has 14… just damn
But the legend retired in 2016. I think his percentage was better at that point.
Milak has his first sub 1:54 swim in at the youth european championship in 2017. june 30.
At the end of 2016. 30 times was under 1:54, 14 was by Phelps.
The results are nearly the same with Milak and under 1:53. He has 9, the rest of the World 9 as well.
Chad with the ouchie back half
What’s new
That time is still a far cry from his 1:50.73 WR set back in 2019. It doesn’t look like he’s going to be able to challenge it at Worlds just 3 weeks from now.
Don’t you ever doubt Kristof Milak! He will be right there in Budapest.
Not necessarily.
1:54.19 22 Jun 2019 Rome (ITA)
1:50.73 24 Jul 2019 Gwangju (KOR)
His time is on par with what he went one month before last year’s Olympics. He’ll be fine.
Have you ever heard of taper?