Boglárka Kapás On The Inspiration Of Krisztina Egerszegi, Standout Profession Moments & “Remembering All the things”
Boglárka Kapás was 5 when she watched a movie about Krisztina Egerszegi, her fellow Hungarian and five-time Olympic champion.
It lit a hearth within the teenager who would go on to win Olympic bronze at Rio 2016 in addition to securing world and European titles earlier than drawing the curtain on a high-quality profession on the 2024 short-course worlds in Budapest.
Egerszegi was the primary swimmer to assert 5 particular person golds within the Olympic pool and solely the second to win the identical occasion at three straight Video games when she gained the 200m backstroke at Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996.
Krisztina Egerszegi – Photograph Courtesy: Area/Hungarian Swimming Federation
With that she moved alongside Australian nice Daybreak Fraser, who gained three consecutive 100 free titles beginning in 1956, with solely Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky additionally reaching that feat.
Generally known as “Eger”, Hungarian for mouse, to her teammates, she was the mouse who roared.
Kapás was solely three when Egerszegi retired following the Atlanta Video games however she described her as the most important affect on her profession, and never solely due to her achievements within the pool.
She instructed Swimming World:
“She was my function mannequin since I used to be 5. Not solely as a result of she gained 5 Olympic golds however as a result of she was all the time so good with different folks.
“I used to be born in 1993 so I didn’t see her dwell on TV however I noticed a documentary together with her after I was 5, I noticed that like 100 instances I feel, and I simply needed to be like her in each manner.”
Kapás Navigates Worldwide Waters
Kapás first made her presence felt on the worldwide stage on the 2010 Youth Olympics in Singapore.
The 17-year-old gained the 200 fly in 2:08.72, 1.39secs forward of Spain’s Judit Ignacio who’d go on to be topped world junior champion the next yr and turn out to be a double European medallist.
She loved a successful margin of just about 4 seconds within the 400 free whereas additionally taking silver within the 200 free behind China’s Tang Li, who would win 100 free bronze at London 2012, with a sure Emma McKeon taking bronze.
That very same yr, Kapás would attain the senior podium on the European Quick-Course Championships with silver within the 800 free behind Federica Pellegrini with Gráinne Murphy third.
It was the beginning of a profession during which she’s excelled throughout totally different disciplines and distances.
There was bronze within the 800 free at Rio 2016 behind Ledecky and Jazmin Carlin of Nice Britain with Kapás swimming a nationwide document of 8:16.37 that stands at this time.
Boglárka Kapás: Photograph Courtesy: Becca Wyant
On the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, she gained the 200 fly forward of Hali Flickinger who’d go on to win bronze at Tokyo 2020.
It got here 4 years after she gained bronze within the 1500 free in 15:47.09, nonetheless a Hungarian document, on the 2015 worlds in Kazan, Russia.
There have been seven European titles throughout 200 fly and 400, 800 and 1500 free amongst 13 general medals. She gained 400 free gold within the European short-course pool amongst 5 medals.
Her final journey to the rostrum got here on the 2024 European Championships in Belgrade the place she took bronze within the 200 fly behind Helena Rosendahl Bach and Lana Pudar, the 18-year-old from Bosnia and Herzegovina who’s making her manner in senior waters.
With so many standout moments over her profession, Kapás selects two which can be seared on to her reminiscence.
“There was a swim after I was 10 years previous and I keep in mind that race as a result of that was possibly the primary one after I may win after I actually needed to win. I used the tactic earlier than the race after I closed my eyes and I simply sort of made a film of my swimming, what I needed to do.
“Afterward, after I was 14 or 15, I’ve realized that method from my therapist. And I realised that ‘oh my God, I actually did this after I was 10’ so it was only a stunning second.
“And clearly after I stood on the rostrum on the Rio Olympics, that’s a second that I’ll always remember I feel.”
Cherishing The Recollections & Making use of Classes For A Lifetime
The 31-year-old plans to take time to relaxation for the subsequent few months earlier than planning her subsequent transfer.
She factors to what she has realized within the pool that she’ll apply throughout totally different areas of her life, describing swimming as her “third dad or mum”.
Learn how to transfer on when it’s arduous or when issues don’t go as deliberate or find out how to preserve combating day-after-day for one thing you wish to obtain
There was an emotional finale on the Duna Area the place she was given a standing ovation as she completed her final race, the 400m particular person medley.
Photograph Courtesy: SIPA USA
She was offered with flowers by president of the Hungarian Swimming Federation Sandor Wladar and the tears flowed as she watched movie of her profession highlights performed on the large display screen.
Casting her thoughts again, she stated:
“I keep in mind all the pieces, truly. I keep in mind all the pieces from my years after I was 5 – 6. I don’t know if it’s regular and different folks can try this however I keep in mind all the pieces.
“I keep in mind after I was at my first Olympic Video games, I used to be the baby. Everybody was so massive and tall and I used to be just a bit woman, confused at instances.
“So, sure, I keep in mind all the pieces and I really feel prefer it was solely yesterday so it’s sort of surreal that I’m right here now ending my profession. I can’t even think about that I’m right here.
“However I’m happy with my profession and I’m comfortable that I may do the final race in entrance of the house crowd.”
