Six months to go until FINA World Championships in Hungary!
Press release – In the coming months the Budapest 2017 Organising Committee will work hard to host the most successful aquatics showdown ever! The countdown has started – not only the OC, but the favourite Hungarian athletes are preparing also. Moreover, national stars of other sports have great expectations to watch the FINA World Championships in Hungary, too!
Krisztián Berki – Olympic gold medallist gymnast
Although I really like to go to the beach, I can’t really swim. I will cheer for everybody on the Hungarian team, but especially for the Gyurta brothers (Dániel Gyurta and Gergely Gyurta), we are really good friends. Hosting the 17th FINA World Championships is a wonderful opportunity for both Budapest and Balatonfüred, as well. These two cities will be able to show their greatness and their love for sports. The success of this prestigious international event is so important also because we are bidding to host the 2024 Olympic Games, too.
Gergely Kiss – three-time Olympic gold medallist water polo player
The past year was all about Rio, because of the Olympic Games. This year, everything will be about Budapest. For Hungary – where everybody loves sports – it means more than anything. We can only be proud of it! I don’t want to reveal just yet how I will participate. Let it be a surprise!
Áron Szilágyi – two-time Olympic gold medallist fencer
About my connection to water: I drink it and I take shower a every day. I would not say that I am a good swimmer, but I would not drown. I, personally like to follow all the Aquatic events. With my colleagues, we already planned to create a new sport: fencing in pool, but the rules are not official yet. Luckily, I know how it is to be part of a World Championships in Hungary. The Hungarian fans are the best in the world and I am pretty sure that they will help our athletes with all the power and support!
Shane Tusup – Katinka Hosszú’s coach
2016 was an amazing year! What are your expectations for 2017?
We are ready for the World Championships. We are well on time because we started the trainings earlier, but we always just concentrate on the next step!
What do you think this year will look like?
We believe in the work we have done before. We are training as hard and as seriously we can. Our goal was always to reach the maximum at the competitions, and this have not changed!
The most important competitions of the year is the FINA World Championships! One of the main events for Katinka, the 400m IM will be held on the last day. Does this mean special preparation?
It means we need to work really hard. At the end of a long competition we will have this extremely hard event. The situation was the same at the World Championships in Kazan and in Barcelona, too. In Rio, this race was on the first day which was very nice, but the Olympic schedule is always different, there is nothing we can do. We just do our job, and prepare as hard as we can.
Can you guess the number of the medals Katinka and you shall win in Budapest?
No, we never think in medals or in number of medals. The situation is ideal if you get medals because of your effort, but it never matters. Our aim is to bring out the best in Katinka in every aspect.
Katinka Hosszú – three-time Olympic gold medallist swimmer
Your coach, Shane did not want to predict, but how many medals are you planning to win at the World Championships in 2017?
I do not want to predict either, we are mentally very strong, so you can’t break us! I don’t have an exact answer, we are always thinking about the time results, and of course we have our goals specific for the Championships as well, and we concentrate on these. We never count medals before a competition, but I can tell you, I would like to stand on the podium more than one time!
Budapest and Hungary hosts the World Championships. What does this mean to you?
I think these Championships will easily be as exciting as the Olympic Games in Rio were, they were definitely be very important. The Event is going to have a huge positive effect for Budapest, so many tourists, competitors and coaches will come to this magnificent city!
How are your preparations going so far?
I think it is going better, way much better than at this time last year. It is encouraging for us! I hope we can stay away from any kind of injuries and illnesses, and we can reach our goals.
Photo: photo: Péter Molnár
Source: fina-budapest2017.com
