{"id":588036,"date":"2024-06-17T04:40:11","date_gmt":"2024-06-17T11:40:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=588036"},"modified":"2024-06-17T08:05:23","modified_gmt":"2024-06-17T15:05:23","slug":"european-championships-zsuzsanna-jakabos-sets-european-appearance-record-at-11th-meet-kristof-milak-returns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/european-championships-zsuzsanna-jakabos-sets-european-appearance-record-at-11th-meet-kristof-milak-returns\/","title":{"rendered":"European Championships: Zsuzsanna Jakabos Sets Appearance Record At 11th Europeans & Eyes 6th Games, Kristof Milak Returns"},"content":{"rendered":"

European Championships: Zsuzsanna Jakabos Sets Appearance Record At 11th Europeans, Kristof Milak Returns<\/h4>\n

Zsuzsanna Jakabos<\/strong> got her record 11th European Aquatics Championships underway in Belgrade on Monday as she seeks to book a place at her sixth Olympic Games.<\/p>\n

The Hungarian made her continental debut at Madrid 2004 a month after her 15th birthday, surrounded by the likes of Yana Klochkova<\/strong>, Laure Manaudou<\/strong> and Therese Alshammar.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 35-year-old moved clear of fellow Hungarians Laszlo Cseh<\/strong> and Katinka Hosszu<\/strong> – with 10 Europeans apiece – when she took to the water for the women’s 4×2 prelims at the Sports Center Milan Gale Muskatirovic in the Serbian capital.<\/p>\n

The quartet topped the heats in 8:03.82 and should Jakabos succeed in booking her place at Paris 2024, she would join Alshammar as only the second woman to have competed at six Olympics.<\/p>\n

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Zsuzsanna Jakabos: Photo courtesy: European Aquatics<\/p><\/div>\n

She would also be only the fifth swimmer overall to compete in six Games along with Alshammar and fellow Swede Lars Frolander<\/strong>, Tunisian Oussama Mellouli<\/strong> and Derya B\u00fcy\u00fckuncu.<\/b><\/p>\n

The 37th edition of the European Aquatics Championships is missing many top names with a host choosing to compete at the Sette Colli at the weekend.<\/p>\n

However, a major name in the form of Kristof Milak<\/strong> is competing in the Serbian capital and on Monday he made his first appearance at a major international competition since Roma 2022.<\/p>\n

The Olympic 200 fly champion posted the 13th fastest time in the 50 fly of 23.63 but with the two-per-nation rule and Szebasztian<\/strong> Szabo<\/strong> (23.49) and Hubert Kos<\/strong> (23.51) have gone quicker, Milak didn’t progress.<\/p>\n

The championships serve as a final chance for pool swimmers to qualify for Paris 2024 with the qualification period ending on 23 June, the final day of competition in Belgrade.<\/p>\n

Hungarians occupied the top four slots in the men’s 400IM prelims, headed by Hollo Balazs<\/strong> whose time of 4:12.46 was an A cut in an event synonymous with Hungary, following in the footsteps of Cseh and Tamas Darnyi<\/strong>, who won the double double of both IMs at Seoul 1988 and Barcelona 1992.<\/p>\n

Barbora Seemanova<\/strong> headed the women’s 100 free in 54.04 to lead four women inside 55.<\/p>\n

Vladislav Bukhov<\/strong>, the 50 free world champion, led the way into the fly semis in 23.33.<\/p>\n

Eszter Szabo Feltothy<\/strong> led the 200 back in 2:09.77 with Hungarians filling the top three places with only two progressing.<\/p>\n

Andrius Sidlauskas<\/strong> is the top seed into the men’s 100m breaststroke, clocking 59.36 to Melvin Imoudu<\/strong>‘s 59.43 with the pair the only men inside the minute mark.<\/p>\n

Deniz Ertan<\/strong> of Turkey headed the women’s 800 free in 8:38.00 with Boglarka Kapas<\/strong> – winner in 2012 and 2016 – safely through at her final Europeans.<\/p>\n

Lithuania<\/strong> headed the men’s 4×200 free prelims in 7:09.75 with Bulgaria<\/strong> taking the eighth spot in 7:19.20.<\/p>\n