At the 2019 World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Kristóf Milák secured a gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly with a time of 1:50.73. This performance broke a decade-old world record previously held by Michael Phelps, marking the first time in eighteen years that a swimmer other than Phelps held the long-course world record for this distance.
Early Competitive Success
Born in Budapest in 2000, Milák began his international career in 2016 at the European Junior Swimming Championships in Hódmezővásárhely. At sixteen, he earned gold in the 200-metre butterfly. By 2017, he achieved further success at the European Junior Championships in Netanya, setting a new world junior record in the 200-metre butterfly with a time of 1:53.79.
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The 2018 season proved highly productive as Milák balanced butterfly and freestyle disciplines. During the Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, he captured three gold medals—in the 400-metre freestyle, 200-metre freestyle, and 200-metre butterfly—alongside a silver in the 100-metre butterfly. His victory in the 200-metre freestyle established him as the only competitor to break the 1:48.00 threshold.
Continental and Global Dominance
Milák continued his trajectory at the 2020 European Aquatics Championships in Budapest, where he claimed gold in both the 100-metre and 200-metre butterfly events, establishing championship records in both. At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, held in 2021, he secured an Olympic gold medal in the 200-metre butterfly and a silver medal in the 100-metre butterfly.
Club Affiliations and National Records
Throughout his professional development, Milák represented Hungary while competing for Team Iron in the International Swimming League. Domestically, he consistently refreshed Hungarian national records, including his 2021 performance in the 100-metre freestyle, where he set a benchmark of 48.00 seconds. He also contributed to national relay efforts, notably anchoring the 4x200 metre freestyle relay to a record-setting 7:07.67.
Fast facts
- Born: 2000, Budapest, Hungary
- Primary Discipline: Swimming
- Olympic Medals: 2020 Summer Olympics, 1 gold, 1 silver
- World Record: 200 metre butterfly (1:50.73)
- Professional Team: Team Iron
- Key Event: 2019 World Aquatics Championships
Questions readers ask
Which major records does Kristóf Milák hold?
He is the current holder of the world record in the long course 200-metre butterfly and the European record in the long course 100-metre butterfly.
How many medals did Milák win at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics?
He won a total of four medals: three gold medals and one silver medal.
Achievements
- Represented Team Iron and Budapesti Honvéd SE
- Competed at swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – men's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay, swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – men's 100 metre butterfly and swimming at the 2020 Summer Olympics – men'
- Discipline: competitive swimming
