Dávid Betlehem Wins European Championship Title with a Sensational Swim

Dávid Betlehem triumphed at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. After winning bronze in the 10 km open water swimming race, the 20-year-old swimmer crossed the finish line first in the 5 km competition. The other Hungarian swimmer, Kristóf Rasovszky led for a long time and finished in sixth place, writes Magyar Nemzet.

On Thursday, the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade continued with the 5 km races. As Hungary Today reported, on Wednesday, Dávid Betlehem won the bronze medal in the 10 km race, earning the first individual podium finish of his career at an adult continental competition.

Kristóf Rasovszky was in the lead at the start and led the field for a long time. However, at the end of the second lap, Betlehem came up behind the more experienced Rasovszky,

and then took the lead on the third and final lap. Still in the running for gold was France’s Marc-Antoine Olivier, who claimed the silver medal in the 10 km race on Wednesday.

Rasovszky slipped back a little in the final stages and finished sixth, and he was not satisfied with his rivals’ behavior, as he had a battle with Frenchman Sacha Velly, who finished fourth.

After crossing the finish line, Betlehem and Oliver had to wait for the photo finish, confirming that the Hungarian swimmer had won the gold medal at the European Aquatics Championships in Serbia.

“Luckily Kristóf started at the beginning, and this pace was needed to keep us going until the end. When I saw that the Frenchman was going out to the left, I knew that I was going to speed up in the longer run. Yesterday was a big boost for me, I thought that if I could do it then, I could win this race today,” stressed Betlehem.

Not only was the men’s race successful, as Bettina Fábián won the bronze medal in the 5 km open water swim at the European Aquatics Championships in Belgrade. The 19-year-old Hungarian – who will be competing at the Paris Olympics – fought back from a huge chase to take third place. The other Hungarian competitor in the event, Mira Szimcsák, finished eighth.

The two Hungarians were in the middle of the field almost until the finish, when Fábián started a stunning chase and overtook her Spanish rival in the final meters.

“I really wanted to be on the podium in the individual event, I am happy that I did so well in the chase and I was able to catch the Spanish girl,” highlighted Fábián to M4 Sport.

Via Magyar Nemzet, MTI; Featured image via MTI/Derencsényi István