Hungary’s successful run in open-water swimming continued at the European Championships in Paris on Wednesday, as Viktória Mihályvári-Farkas claimed a silver medal in the women’s 5-kilometer race.
The 22-year-old swimmer once again battled Italy’s Ginevra Taddeucci for the gold medal, just as she had done a day earlier in the 10-kilometer Olympic-distance event. However, the Italian swimmer came out on top again.
The shorter race featured 29 competitors, including Mihályvári-Farkas, who entered the event as one of the leading names after winning the 10-kilometer race in Stari Grad last year in what was her first major open-water swimming competition.
The Hungarian swimmer immediately joined the front group after the start, with two Italians setting the pace. Unlike the previous day, she did not initially take responsibility for leading the race, instead staying behind her rivals and conserving energy. Shortly after the halfway point, however, Mihályvári-Farkas moved into the lead. At the end of the third lap, both Italian swimmers — Ginevra Taddeucci and Barbara Pozzobon — moved ahead of Mihályvári-Farkas, leaving her with a difficult task heading into the final 1,250 meters.
Taddeucci then launched a decisive surge and broke away from the field. Mihályvári-Farkas battled Pozzobon for silver, while several other swimmers remained within striking distance of the podium. The Hungarian held off every challenge and even tried to close the gap on Taddeucci in the final stretch, but the Italian maintained her lead until the finish.
After two days of competition, Hungary has collected four silver medals in open-water swimming at the European Championships. As Hungary Today reported earlier, Mihályvári-Farkas claimed silver in the women’s 10-kilometer race on Tuesday, while Dávid Betlehem also finished second in both the men’s 10-kilometer and 5-kilometer events.
After the start, I again wanted to move to the front, but Pozzobon was very fresh because she did not race yesterday and did not let me pass. For a long time I was able to stay in her wake, sometimes it felt like I was just floating,”
said Mihályvári-Farkas after the 5-kilometer race.
The Hungarian swimmer said she was much closer to her rival this time and believed she had a chance until the end. “The other Italian swimmer moved out to the side near the finish, and I was able to take advantage of that and move ahead, which allowed me to catch Taddeucci’s wake. I tried until the very end to find a way past her. I felt I had the strength and I was closing in, but in the end I could not get around her and we reached the finish together. I cannot be disappointed with two silver medals. I just need to improve a little more at the end so I can get past her next time,” Mihályvári-Farkas said.
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Via MTI, Featured image: MTI/Hegedüs Róbert
