The Hungarian Swimming Association (Magyar Úszó Szövetség) has revealed its elite racing calendar for the remainder of 2020.
As the coronavirus pandemic descended on the world, Hungary’s national championships, the meet which then also would have doubled as the Olympic Trials, were cancelled. The meet was originally supposed to be held for late March and was one of the last remaining elite competitions taking place in that general timeframe to be cancelled.
Later in March, nine people, including National Team swimmers and staff members, had tested positive for coronavirus while partaking in training camps. Domink Kozman, David Horvath, Richard Bohus and Boglarka Kapas were among them but were asymptomatic.
MUSZ reinstituted funding for national team members as of the end of April and many returned to training at that time. As of June 23rd, any pool within the nation of Hungary can now operate without heavy restrictions, as outlined in the nation’s governmental document you can read here.
As far as the competition calendar goes, Hungary is ‘ensuring a level playing field for all competitors’ by delaying its national championships until the fall months. Swimmers just now entering the water cannot compete with those that have been in since May is the MUSZ’s rationale.
- National Long Distance Pool Championships – October 23rd & 24th
- National Youth Championships – November 13th – 15th
- National Senior Championships – December 8th – 12th
re: level playing field – the biggest losers (in most countries) of the virus are the 2nd tier swimmers who had a chance to make the olympic team but had no support during the lockdown and couldn’t train. The elite swimmers were able to find a pool and had sufficient coaching and thus the gap will widen. Races will have less diversity, competition and will be ultimately less entertaining. The kids who get back into the pool now will nowhere be in a comparable shape in 3 months with swimmers who did not miss 3 and half months of swimming.
Let us go, Zachar Gergő! Is fast , cool cute too! Magyar, most a sad bar valem