In a spectacular performance, Kristóf Rasovszky won the gold medal, while Dávid Betlehem secured the bronze in the open water swimming competition at the Paris Olympics.
The 27-year-old star from Veszprém, who had finished second in Tokyo three years ago, led the 10-kilometre race almost from start to finish on Friday. The other Hungarian competitor, Dávid Betlehem, who is only 20 years old, also delivered an outstanding performance, surging into third place with a strong final sprint.
Rasovszky’s victory comes exactly 12 years to the day after Éva Risztov’s triumph in London, marking the second gold for Hungary in the open water discipline.
This achievement also represents the 32nd Olympic gold for Hungarian swimming.
Just like in the women’s race 24 hours earlier—where Bettina Fábián secured fifth place with a tactical performance—the men’s race began and ended at the Pont Alexandre III, with competitors swimming downstream under the Pont des Invalides and the Pont de l’Alma and then back again, completing six laps of 1,666 metres each.
As expected, the medal contenders from the 29-strong men’s field, including the two Hungarians, the Germans, defending champion Florian Wellbrock, as well as challengers from Italy and France, formed a distinct group immediately after the start. By the end of the first lap, the Tokyo top three—Wellbrock, Rasovszky, and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, who won the 1,500-metre freestyle in 2016 and recently claimed silver in Paris—were leading the race.
In the second lap, Rasovszky, the reigning world champion in the event, took the lead, gaining a few seconds’ advantage, and even after a brief refreshment break, he returned to the front. By the halfway mark, the ‘Balaton Shark,’ easily recognizable by his green cap, was still in the lead, while Betlehem was in fourth place within the chasing pack.
Rasovszky started the final lap with more than a four-second lead, with Betlehem positioned in fourth as the sprint began. Rasovszky and Germany’s Oliver Klemet pulled seven seconds ahead of the rest with just 800 metres to go.
As they neared the finish, Rasovszky found an extra gear, leaving his German rival with no chance of overtaking him, securing a resounding victory. To top it off, Betlehem’s remarkable final sprint earned him the bronze,
realizing the long-held dream of the two close friends to both stand on the podium in an individual event at a major championship.
Rasovszky’s win brought Hungary its fourth gold medal at the Paris Olympics, while Betlehem’s achievement added a fourth bronze, bringing the country’s current medal tally to 4 golds, 3 silvers, and 4 bronzes.
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