Why did Olympic gold medallist Kristof Milak pull out of 2023 World Championships? Real reason explored
The 2023 World Championships is approaching and all the swimmers are putting in hard yards to claim glory as top swimmers at the World Championships. In a shocking turn of events, Kristof Milak, Hungarian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist, has withdrawn from the 2023 World Championships.
In a statement released regarding his withdrawal, Kristof Milak stated that he was not on the level, either physically or mentally, to compete against the best swimmers. This is the only thing we know regarding the withdrawal of the Hungarian swimmer as he didn't dive deep into the reasons.
The official statement issued by Kristof Milak regarding his withdrawal was translated by the Hungarian Federation and was posted on Swimswam. The statement, as released on the Swimswam, is attached below:
"I took a decision with a really heavy heart, and I wish to share it with everyone who loves swimming and supported me and my teammates during all the years. I will not take part at the World Championships this July in Fukuoka – even if I loved to maintain my winning run started back in 2016, I’m not on the level either physically or mentally to race against the worlds’ best swimmers."
Further in his statement, Kristof claimed that he was not in top shape and also that he has hit rock bottom. The Olympic gold medallist further added that he had accepted his current situation.
"I’m still trying to find a satisfying answer why this had to happen – still, I know myself well enough to be aware that I’m not even close to my top shape, those 100 percent which is required to reach the top and I’m not the one who would be content with anything less."
"Now, I’ve hit rock-bottom, but I have to emphasize that this does not come with any worries from my side. I’ve accepted this, and I honestly hope that everyone else can also do that. To see that any athlete can face a period like this in his career, when you need to step back, recharge the batteries in order to be ready for the next challenges."
Milak further added that he was still available for any administrative and other obligations that top athletes might have despite withdrawing from the 2023 World Championships.
"While I’m still available for any administrative and other obligations top athletes may have, now I’m facing a new task – to devote this summer to quality and well-thought relaxation. This way I can restart my training and the competitions with a lot more energy, with a much better approach, so I can reach the level I’ve used to have."
Towards the end of his statement, he thanked the swimming community and his club.
"I thank for the swimming community, for the Honved Family, for my sponsors and my fantastic fans for their understanding and support. Don’t be afraid – I’ll be back soon!"
Kristof's statement was posted on the Facebook page of his club, Honved, as well. The 2023 World Championships will be held from July 14-30 in Fukuoka, Japan.
How was Kristof Milak's performance at the 2022 World Championships?
Kristof Milak won two gold medals at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest. He finished first in the 200m butterfly event with a world record time of 1:50.34. The Olympic gold medallist also finished 3.03 seconds ahead of the French swimming sensation Leon Marchand.
He won another gold medal in the 100m butterfly event with a time of 50.14 seconds. Kristof Milak also helped Hungary finish in fifth place in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay and 4x200 meter freestyle relay of the 2022 World Championships.