2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS
- All sports: Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- Pool swimming: Sunday, July 21 – Sunday, July 28, 2019
- The Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Center, Gwangju, Korea
- Meet site
- Competition Schedule
- FinaTV Live Stream
- Entry Lists
- Results
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Hungary’s 19-year-old Kristof Milak broke the men’s 200m fly World Record en route to gold during night 4 of the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
The time of 1:50.73 was significant in itself, but extra eye-popping since the new mark overtook the previous World Record time of 1:51.51 held by none other than America’s Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all-time. Phelps had held the record for a streak of 18 years, having most recently lowered the standard to the aforementioned back in 2009.
In the video below, teenaged Milak has trouble finding words to describe his incredible feat, appearing genuinely stunned he was able to accomplish what it is he just accomplished.
“I still need to understand how it happened,” the Hungarian says.
He also describes the race in detail, explaining how he ‘got scared’ seeing South African Chad Le Clos so speedy on the front section, but also saying this tactic only fueled him on and enabled him to hit the WR.
“I needed him [Le Clos] in front of me to reach the World Record.”
Milak also describes how he’ll be taking a break from fly for a while and move on to backstroke and freestyle, disciplines in which the teen has competed at an elite level in the past.
He owns a 200m free PB of 1:46.90, 400m free PB of 3:48.08, a 100m back PB of 54.67 and a 200m back PB of 1:59.75.
He took the 400m freestyle title at the 2018 European Junior Championships, as well as both the 200m and 400m free golds at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.
This is how a new World Record holder feels after an incredible final in the 200m Butterfly!
Kristof Milak interview few seconds after the race ⬇️ #FINAGwangju2019 #Swimming pic.twitter.com/74JeDd5Lkk— World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) July 25, 2019
With his work ethic and ankle flexibility, I bet he’ll go far in other strokes…
It would be awesome to see him pick up the 200 free and kick Sun Yang’s rear end in the event in Tokyo.
Never seen him swim breaststroke, but 200fly and 200IM are often good complimentary events – could Milak potentially be a 200fr-200fl-200IM guy?
What an impressive slate of PBs that is at 19 years old. In terms of pure talent and ability to put up incredible times, Milak, Peaty, Dressel and maybe Chalmers are the “Tier 1” of men’s swimming right now.
a potential Phelps-like versatile, dominant type?
Milak is a bae
I want to see him get gold in Tokyo but that would be so funny if he’s just like “Oh, I got the World Record, ok, butterfly sucks I’m done” lol
As long as he’s ready for 2020… do breaststroke if you want.
WOW!
Big Milak guy now
Indeed