Budapest Scores Gold Medal from FINA

(ATR) A gold medal and a world record for organizers of the 17th FINA World Championships in Budapest.

"They have a world record," FINA President Julio Maglione tells Around the Rings.

"They do an extraordinary championship in two years. We don’t know what to do when Guadalajara resigned, but Hungary appears to do the World Championships," he said.

The Mexican city told FINA in 2015 that it could not afford the world championships.

"I remember the day that we laid the first stone for the swimming pool. They do all this in two years. Really, it’s fantastic," says Maglione about the role Budapest played in saving the event.

The FINA World Championships were the largest sporting event ever staged by Hungary. The city had originally been slated to host the competition in 2021.

Organizers, with the support of the government, built the Duna Arena (Danube Arena in English) on the east bank of the eponymous river. It is close to the Dagaly Swimming Baths, one of Budapest’s famous thermal spas.

The Duna Arena, which has two Olympic-sized pools and temporary indoor stands seating 12,000 people, hosted swimming and diving. Water polo competition commandeered the Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex, named after the first Olympic aquatics champion on nearby Margaret Island.

Synchronized swimming took place on the ice rink at City Park – Heroes Square with stately Vajdahunyad Castle as the backdrop. Open water swimming was held at Lake Balaton, the venue for sailing in the ill-fated 2024 Olympic bid from Budapest.

But perhaps the most stunning venue was for high diving. Viktor Orban, the prime minister of Hungary, actually suggested the site at Batthyany Square on the Buda side of the river across from Parliament. Photographers got spectacular shots from any angle and a barge brought a floating grandstand to the middle of the Danube.

The divers landed in a temporary 6-meter deep pool – the Danube was too dirty and the current was too strong – which opens up new possibilities for staging the event at other locales instead of being dependent on a suitable water venue.

Boats ferried spectators from venue to venue on short river cruises and there were food vendors, games and exhibitions to explore.

Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Laszlo Kover said that when Hungary cut its preparation time from eight years to two, "There were plenty of people who said we werejust as mad as those on the other side of the river bank who jump down from 27 meters or 20 meters to a pool which looks the size of a tea cup from above. But just as they are doing their job, we’ve done ours...and we might declare the event a big success."

He said the championships leave a legacy in not only the Duna Arena, but also pride and the feeling that the nation of 10 million people can do anything.

Maglione praised the organizers for "an excellent job, really working very, very well." He also thanked the people of Hungary. "They are very kind people," he said. "Every time, they smile. They find a solution of any problem that we have. The city is beautiful. We are very happy here. We are very happy for all that happens, the results, the organization, the facilities and the cooperation of the press."

Asked if Budapest, which withdrew its candidature for the 2024 Olympic Games, would have been a great Olympic city, Maglione wouldn’t bite. "They do a referendum and the country said no," he said. "They have other necessities. We must respect that opinion."

Miklos Sesztak, head of the organizing committee, said Budapest looked forward to a junior synchronized swimming competition in 2019, a swimming junior worlds in 2020 and the world short course championships in 2024, but would seek other events as well.

From the theme of "Water Wonder Welcome," the world next goes to Gwangju, South Korea, to "Dive Into Peace" in 2019.

As the closing ceremony concluded, water from the sumbol of the Final Worlds, the FINA Fountain next to the Duna Arena, stopped flowing.

Bach in the House

IOC President Thomas Bach attended the FINA gala and some of the competition. He awarded the medals in the men’s 400-meter freestyle won by Sun Yang of China.

"These facilities are really fantastic and the crowds are really enthusiastic everywhere," he said. "The FINA Worlds is a great success for swimming and of course for Hungary."

Regarding the 2024 Budapest Olympic bid, he said, "I see Hungary’s bid leaving a great legacy. (Despite what happened) Hungary is determined to develop its sporting infrastructure. In the Duna Arena, you can see an absolutely world-class facility which was designed and built in just two years. You can see many other sport facilities growing out from the ground.

"Hungary is really developing into the sporting heart of Europe, " said Bach.

Reported from Budapest by Karen Rosen.