Racing in front of her home crowd, Katinka Hosszu really stepped up when her team needed it most, earning match MVP at the International Swimming League’s fourth match in Budapest.
The Hungarian superstar was a workhouse for her Iron club, racing seven times over the two days of competition. This included individual wins in the women’s 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley, and 400 individual medley, along with a runner-up finish in the 200 backstroke and a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle.
The 30-year-old finished the match with 47 points, 5.5 clear of runner-up Kyle Chalmers (London Roar). This was the first time in league history the MVP was won by someone who did not win the skins event, the three-round 50 freestyle eliminator (8-4-2) that is worth up to triple points.
Last weekend, Hosszu’s teammate Vladimir Morozov claimed MVP after winning the men’s skins event.
"As I expected, it was very special to race here in Duna Arena with team Iron,” said Hosszu of the crowd, which provided an electric atmosphere to the athletes. “It definitely has been really special.”
Hosszu’s victory in the 200 fly was of particular importance, acting as a catalyst for Iron to rally past the LA Current and take second place in the standings. Trailing by a full second with 50 meters remaining, the three-time Olympic champion managed to comeback and defeat LA’s Katie McLaughlin by just 0.04 seconds.
“That finish was for the team,” Hosszu said post-race. “We really needed those points.”
At the press conference after things had wrapped up, she expanded on her willingness to dig deep in the toughest moments.
"I love to race,” she said. “I think you guys could see tonight, it's all about the race and fighting.”
Not yet satisfied, the team captain concluded her media availability by pledging to be even better next time out at her club’s next match, which will feature all four European clubs.
“I’m definitely going to be faster in London,” she said.
The MVP victory earns Hosszu a $5,000 bonus - as will all athletes (man or woman) who win match MVP.
2019 ISL Meet MVPs:
â— Indianapolis – Sarah Sjostrom, Energy Standard Club
â— Naples – Caeleb Dressel, Cali Condors
â— Lewisville – Vladimir Morozov, Iron
â— Budapest - Katinka Hosszu, Iron
About the ISL: The International Swimming League is a global professional swimming competition launching in 2019 with teams in both Europe (Italy-based Aqua Centurions, France-based Energy Standard, Hungary-based Iron, and London Roar) and the United States (Cali Condors, DC Trident, LA Current, NY Breakers). The inaugural season will include matches in Indianapolis IN, Naples ITA, Lewisville TX, Budapest HUN, College Park MD, London GBR, and the championship finale at the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, NV. The ISL aims to create groundbreaking projects, in both form and content, exploring the full potential of competitive swimming while securing sustainable commercial growth in the sport.
Key Dates:
5-6 October 2019 – IU Natatorium, Indianapolis, USA
12-13 October 2019 – Aquatic Swimming Complex, Naples, Italy
19-20 October 2019 – The LISD Westside Aquatic Center, Lewisville, Texas, USA
26-27 October 2019 – Duna Area, Budapest, Hungary
16-17 November 2019 – Natatorium at the Eppley Recreation Center, Maryland, USA
23-24 November 2019 – London Aquatic Centre, Great Britain
20-21 December 2019 – Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, USA
ISL SOCIAL: Keep up with all the latest ISL news by following @iswimleague on Instagram and Twitter and @internationalswimmingleague on Facebook. Visit https://isl.global
Media Contact: James Mulligan (james.mulligan@isl.global)
International Swimming League Ltd
Alfred-Escher-Strasse 17, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland
29 October 2019