Laszlo Cseh To Swim Final Race At Budapest World Cup With ‘Surprise Rivals’

2021 FINA WORLD CUP STOP #2 – BUDAPEST

• Thursday, October 7th – Saturday, October 9th
• Duna Arena, Budapest, Hungary
• SCM (25m)
• Day 1 Start Lists
• Results

The second stop of the 2021 FINA World Cup will take place in Budapest, Hungary from October 7-9 and will play host to what will be Hungarian swimming legend Laszlo Cseh‘s final race. Cseh, who has represented his home nation at every Olympic Games since 2004, will compete a 100 IM on Friday at the World Cup meet, giving him an opportunity to say goodbye to the sport in front of spectators.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of major international meets have been without fans in the stands, but FINA recently announced that the second stop of the World Cup Series will welcome fans back to Duna Arena.

• Read the full press release from FINA here.

Per the release, “Cseh will swim a last 100 IM in the [Duna] Arena – in a circle of surprise rivals at the end of the Friday session.” The introduction of this additional event leaves us with an air of mystery. Cseh is not listed as a competitor in the start list for the men’s 100 IM, meaning that his heat of “surprise rivals” may be an unofficial race.

Cseh is one of the most successful and decorated swimmers in history and has won six Olympic medals, 13 long course World Championship medals, four short course World Championships medals, and more than 40 European Championships medals. Cseh shared all six of his Olympic podium finishes with American icon Michael Phelps, taking silver to Phelps’ gold in the 2008 200 butterfly, 200 IM, and 400 IM, bronze in the 2004m 400 IM, and 2012 200 IM, and shared 2016 silver with Phelps and Chad le Clos while Joseph Schooling took gold.

Cseh announced he was retiring after the Tokyo Olympic Games, where he qualified for the 200 IM final, placing seventh overall with a 1:57.68.

Regarding the presence of spectators, Hungarian Swimming Association President Sandor Wladar said: “After two years, fans can return to the stands, I think this is the most important news I can share before the start of the World Cup.” He went on to say that the association is “very happy that this event is back, and we will see heroes from Tokyo, as well as numerous Hungarian talents in the races.”

The meet will get underway on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. in Budapest, or 4 a.m. Eastern, while finals will begin at 6 p.m. local time/12 p.m. Eastern.