Hungarian Olympic butterfly swimmer Kristof Milak won gold on Wednesday, but was “disappointed” that he failed to set a new world record — blaming the shortfall on a loss of focus caused by a swimwear malfunction.
Kristof Milak, winner of the 200-meter butterfly final, said he was thrown off when he noticed a hole in his swimming shorts about 10 minutes before the race and opted to change into a fresh pair.
“I have a routine, a rhythm,” Milak said through a translator. “I am in focus but this situation broke my focus and that problem caused the time.”
Despite the switch-up, Milak still set a new Olympic record of 1 minute, 51.25 seconds — but was just shy off breaking his own world record of 1:50.73.
“I didn’t swim for the medal, but for the time,” he said.
“I wanted to swim a personal best and a personal best for me means the world record,” said Milak. “And that wasn’t a world record so I am a little bit disappointed.”
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Tomoru Honda of Japan won the silver medal in the race, and Italy’s Federico Burdisso took home the bronze.
With Post wires