In Budapest's loftiest tower, press and athletes gathered together for a Media Night before the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup's last leg gets underway in the Hungarian capital.
As cameras rolled and microphones captured every word, athletes reflected on their journey through the 2023 tour, anticipating the upcoming competitions at the fabled Duna Arena.
Local freestyle specialist Ajna Kesely, expressed her pride in representing Hungary in her home waters.
"I’m always very proud competing for Hungary – especially when we hold international competitions here in Budapest," the 22-year-old Kesely remarked. "It’s as if I’m not alone in the water; that we are racing together. Even if I cannot reach my best on a day, they are encouraging me fully. Their support means everything. I really look forward to meeting them again in a few days."
“It’s as if I’m not alone in the water; that we are racing together… They encourage me fully. Their support means everything.”
Richard “Ricky” Marton of Hungary aspires to leverage the energy of his home training pool for a stellar performance.
“Swimming in this pool is always amazing but with the World Aquatics design, the whole experience is even better. I'm ready to race the 200m butterfly," Marton said. "There is going to be a big fight between me and Matthew Sates. I hope I can catch a medal – and hopefully, it's the gold one."
Australia, fresh from a 13-gold medal victory lap in the Fukuoka swimming pool, brings its strongest line-up of the Swimming World Cup 2023 season to Budapest.
Kaylee McKeown, World and Olympic champion, has been making waves, threatening backstroke World Records, both her own and those owned by others, in Berlin and Athens.
She's coming into Budapest with the chance to pick up the Triple Crown treble - winning the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events - at each of the year's three Swimming World Cup stops.
The World and Olympic champion said she doesn't want to get too far ahead of herself, noting, "I'm just here to swim, I'm here to swim to the best of my abilities. If this means coming away with the crown for all three events, that would be amazing.
"The only pressure you really get is the pressure that the outside media put on you," McKeown said before adding, "but winning that extra money which would be quite lovely and would a long way to pay my mortgage back home."
Meanwhile, Sam Short, reigning World titlist in the men’s 400m freestyle, will make his World Cup debut in Budapest.
“I really wanted to come here and race. If it was up to me, I would have loved to swim at all three events. I love racing internationally,” said Short. “As a distance swimmer and with my goal being the Olympic Trials, this is a period of building volume and getting some good k’s under my belt.”
Short, who notched 400m free gold along with 800m free silver and 1500m free bronze in Fukuoka, added, “I have followed the previous World Cups on TV; very fast racing and good depth across all of the events. I really enjoy racing and I really wanted to be here. I am excited to put my name in the ring and to get to race some of the guys and I think I can make the race a little bit faster and see what race I can produce.”
Contributing: Gregory Eggert and Bence Farkas