2024 European Championships
The 2024 European Championships kick off this upcoming Monday, June 17th in Belgrade, Serbia. The meet will serve as a potential last-chance qualifier to the Paris Olympics for most countries in attendance as the meet concludes June 23rd, the last day of the Paris qualification period.
Highlighting the entries is World Record holder Kristof Milak. Milak is entered in six events at the meet, the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles as well as the three butterfly events. Milak holds the European Record as well as Championship Record in the 100 butterfly and comes in as the #2 seed in the event. Noe Ponti (Switzerland) leads the way.
Milak is the top seed in the 200 butterfly with a 1:52.58. He is the World Record holder in the event as he swam a 1:50.34 at the 2022 World Championships. Milak returns to the European Championships after last competing at the meet in 2022. He took time off in 2023 and did not compete at the 2023 World Championships.
Also highlighting the Hungarian roster is Hubert Kos. Kos competed collegialtey for Arizona State this past season and will transfer to Texas for this fall. Kos won the World Title in the 200 backstroke last summer in a 1:54.14. Kos notably will not swim the event here in Serbia, instead opting for the 200 IM, 50 and 100 back as well as 50 and 100 fly. Kos is the top seed in the 200 IM.
David Popovici of Romania is also listed on the psych sheets. The 19 year old standout is the former World Record holder in the 100 freestyle but still holds the European and Championship Records in the event. He is the top seed in the 200 free and the #2 seed in the 100 free, only behind Nandor Nemeth (Hungary).
Highlighting the women’s side of the meet is Israel’s Anastasia Gorbenko. Gorbenko has been on a roll lately as she set Israeli National Records in the 200 back, 200 IM, and 400 IM during the Mare Nostrum series just weeks ago. Gorbenko won silver in the 400 IM at the 2024 World Championships in February. Gorbenko is the top seed in both IM events and will also take on the 100 breast as the #4 seed.
Teenager Lana Pudar of Bosnia and Herzegovina also looks to make waves in Serbia as she is the top seed in both the 100 and 200 butterfly events. Pudar won Bosnia and Herzegovina’s first long course European Championship medal two summers ago as she won bronze in the 100 butterfly.
