European Short Course Swimming
Championships
20-12-2007
Written by: Erzsébet Kiss

Excellent organisation and Hungarian gold medals in the European Swimming Championships

The greatest wish of every world competition’s host is that the participants could be satisfied with organisation and that the home competitors perform wonders. Well, the 11th European Short Course Swimming Championships surpassed our hardiest dreams in both respects.

The organisers of Debrecen this time took their exam with excellent result again. After finishing of the contest both the participants and the national and international headquarters staff expressed their greatest satisfaction.  Furthermore the world could see the power of the home fans as the fantastic spectators lent wings to the competitors.

The Hungarians have already received podium place for the first time at nomination by starting the third largest number of competitors, behind the French and the British, from 39 nations. The fourth place in the medal table is also considered to be a praiseworthy result and László Cseh, our world and European champion has the greatest merit in it. The present greatest swimming phenomenon delighted the grateful public with three gold medals and two world records and the public rushed our star into the goal stood up and in enthusiasm. Medals and records meant five thousand Euro money prize for our champion who managed to add some amount of money to the pretty sum that he deserved for the Junior Prima prize not long ago.

Even the other champion, possible Olympic silver medallist, Dániel Gyurta did not disappoint his fans as in 200 m breast-stroke he assured his win in a powerful final spurt with a European record last afternoon of the competition.

From the new competitors, Gergő Kis won recognition with a silver and a bronze medal, which meant national records as well. From ladies Emese Kovács, Ágnes Mutina and Evelyn Verrasztó registered themselves in the list of the Hungarian medal winners.

Ágnes Kovács tired of her doping affair, this time left behind the excellent place which is usual of her, but she did her UNICEF ambassadorial function successfully.

A charitable relay swimming with the slogan of „Life is where water is” attracted the attention to the sad fact that in the world a child dies in every 15 seconds of a disease spread by water. The situation is especially catastrophic in Ethiopia where only 41 percent of households can reach potable water and they have to take it in daily from 1-2 kilometres walking distance. Thanks to the sponsors who took the function in easing the situation, Ágnes Kovács could give 4 million forints to the UNICEF. According to the plans, our champion will visit to Ethiopia in autumn 2008 to persuade personally what effected our aid. 

About the training plans for the Beijing Olympic Games of next year, we could get to know that the competitors are having a two-week-long holiday now. During this holiday some athletes spend the time with their studies and afterwards, in January, trainings are beginning again. Though our champions are entering for the European Championships in March but they will not be in a record-breaking form since the training burdens can not be slackened because of the European Championships. Regarding the hopes of the Olympic Games participation, both competitors and trainers found it early to consider the chances.