Hugo González de Oliveira became the fifth fastest swimmer in history in the 200 meters individual medley this Sunday in the specialty final held at the European Championships in Paris. His time, 1m 54.44s, was enough to pressure Hubert Kos until the last centimeter of the pool. The Hungarian, a formidable swimmer, was attacked by the Spaniard in the last 50 and almost lost the gold. Kos had to give his all in a finish decided by a fingernail: 1m 54.24s, a European record, and a time that places him as the fourth fastest swimmer ever.
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Hugo González’s charge caused a general acceleration at the front of the race. Kos, who specializes in backstroke and trains in Texas with Léon Marchand under the guidance of Bob Bowman, inscribed his name behind the milestones set by the three greatest. The absolute record held by Marchand (1m 52.69s), and the previous records of Ryan Lochte (1m 54.00s) and Michael Phelps (1m 54.16s). The quartet of the fastest in the specialty that rewards versatility and speed. A group joined by American Shaine Casas last year at the World Championships in Singapore (1m 54.30s) and Hugo González, who at 27 years old, a late age, has shown with his 1m 54.44s what he had inside for a long time, even in his disappointing 2024 Games.
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Hugo González’s silver, who was European champion in the 200 IM in 2021, was Spain’s first medal at the European Swimming Championships held in Paris since last Monday. In the next event of the afternoon, Laura Cabanes followed him on the medal table with bronze in the 200m butterfly. Her time of 2m 7.21s is far from the 2m 4.79s Spanish record set by Mireia Belmonte in 2013, but it was enough to surpass Irish Ellen Walshe (2m 7.40s) and put her in the wake of Elena Bach and Keana McInnes, second and first respectively in an event that reflects the lagging condition of European swimming in this event.
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