The Hungarian Championships underway as part of the final qualification for the Short Course Worlds next month in Budapest

THE Hungarian Short Course Championships started in Kaposvar ahead of next month’s short course world championships in Budapest.

Ajna Kesely And Vivien Jackl tied on the opening night of the 1,500 freestyle, swimming the entire race before touching down in 16:03.83.

Kesely is still the only Hungarian under 16 minutes with her national record of 15:51.34 set en route to bronze at last year’s European Short Course Championships in Otopeni, Romania, with Jackl now third in a age group record.

Kesely returned Thursday to win the 400 freestyle in 4:07.33 ahead of Nikolett Padar (4:08.81) and Boglarka Kapas (4:09.27).

Nandor Németh was the only man to break the 47-second barrier in the 100 freestyle, clocking 46.84 for the win with Panna Ugrai winning the women’s equivalent in 53.29 to Padar’s 53.54 and taking the 50 backstroke title in 27.55. Eszter Békési won the 100m breaststroke in 1:08.07.

Gabor Zombori (1:57.65) and Kapas (2:11.98) won the men’s and women’s 200 IM, respectively.

Bence Szentes won the men’s 50m (24.11) with David Horvath winning the 100 breaststroke (59.59) and Mate Hartmann the 1500 in 14:57.89.

Thursday, 15 years old Olivier Papaï ran a personal best 3:45.16 to win the 400 freestyle in an age group record. Papai resisted Nandor Négy who won silver in 3:45.22 while being Olympic 10km champion Kristof Rasovszky won bronze in 3:45.82.

Richard Marton won the 200 fly in 1:53.12, Adam Jaszo took over the 100 (51.46) and Szébasztian Szabo won the free 50 in 21:49.

Laura Ilyes held off the fast-finishing Kapas to win the 200 fly in 2:08.24, Ugrai added the 100 to his 100 freestyle title in 58.67 while Petra Senanszky And Kiara Victoria Pozvai split the women’s 50 freestyle in 24.89.