Bold claim: Kristof Milak is fully committed to chasing LA 2028, even as a club ultimatum and financial pressure mount. Milak, the Hungarian world-record holder, has reportedly confirmed he will train for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 after Budapest Honved reportedly issued an ultimatum demanding a return to in-water training. The saga unfolds after Milak’s most recent races at the 2025 Hungarian National Championships, where he claimed victory in the 100 free and 200 fly and placed second in the 50 and 100 fly, earning his World Championships qualification for Singapore in 2025.
Milak subsequently withdrew from Worlds, with coach Almos Szabo citing a lack of training and motivation. This withdrawal marked Milak’s third missed long-course World Championship appearance, following Fukuoka in 2023 and Doha in 2024.
Hungarian outlets surfaced late last week with reports that Budapest Honved, a multi-sport club that reportedly pays Milak a substantial salary, had given him an ultimatum: resume regular in-water training after a 16-month period of inactivity or lose club support. The same reports suggested the Hungarian Swimming Federation was weighing the removal of Milak’s Gerevich Scholarship, a Stipendium Hungaricum Sports award worth around 500,000 Hungarian Forints per month (roughly $1,500 USD).
István Gergely, executive chairman of Budapest Honved and a two-time Olympic gold medalist in water polo (2004, 2008), publicly characterized Milak as not swimming or doing pool work and instead only training with renowned strength coach Grzegory Zala. He warned that patience was running out and that the club could not continue the ongoing cycle of “pull and release.” Yet he stopped short of a firm decision on pulling funding, insisting that Kristóf’s return to the pool remains a possibility but that effort is essential alongside faith.
Milak’s training history has been challenging since the 2022 World Championships. He withdrew from the 2023 Worlds citing mental health concerns, and recent reports have described his training as inconsistent. Despite these hurdles, Milak still delivered two medals at the 2024 Olympic Games: a gold in the 100 fly and a silver in the 200 fly.
In related developments, Budapest announced the dates for the 2027 World Championships, with events planned at a multi-sport venue (the MVM Dome) instead of the Duna Arena. During a press briefing, Sándor Wladár, president of the Hungarian Swimming Association, hinted at potential rosters that could include Milak, alongside other prominent Hungarian swimmers like Hubert Kos, David Betlehem, and Zalan Sarkany.
State Secretary for Sports Adam Schmidt commented on Milak’s situation, noting that he had met Milak about two and a half weeks earlier. Milak expressed a desire to end his swimming career with dignity and focus, and Schmidt remarked that while a national championship in Nyíregyháza was proposed, Milak emphasized his goal of competing in Los Angeles. Schmidt conveyed confidence that Milak will be on the starting line if he can perform at the level expected of him, stating that Hungary is counting on Kristóf in Los Angeles.
All quotes translated from Hungarian sources.
Key people to watch: Kristóf Milak, István Gergely, Grzegory Zala, Sándor Wladár, Adam Schmidt.
Would you frame Milak’s LA bid as a comeback narrative driven by commitment, or as a leverage-driven standoff with his club and federation? How do you think this will influence his preparation for Paris 2028 if the LA goal remains central in his planning?
