Hubert Kós targets European titles at Paris championships

Hungarian swimmer Hubert Kós is preparing for the European Aquatics Championships in Paris, where he aims to secure his first European title in his primary event, the 200m backstroke. Kós, who competed in the Paris Olympics two years ago, will participate in six different events. His coach, Bob Bowman—who previously trained Michael Phelps—is managing his workload for this intense schedule.

During a press conference at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, Hungarian national team captain Csaba Sós noted that if Kós swims all his scheduled events, it will involve 19 starts, surpassing Michael Phelps's 17 starts during his eight-gold-medal performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Sós expressed high expectations for Kós, suggesting the athlete has world-record potential in the 100m and 200m backstroke disciplines.

Other notable athletes discussed include French star Léon Marchand, who will skip the 200m and 400m individual medley due to a groin injury sustained approximately a month ago. Marchand's recovery is expected to take two to three weeks, but he is choosing not to risk further injury. Additionally, Dutch three-time world champion Marrit Steenbergen and Swiss specialist Noé Ponti were highlighted as key competitors in a highly competitive field.