Not even an Olympic gold medal can get Hungarian swimmer Kristóf Milák to break his silence

NANTERRE. France -- Not even an Olympic gold medal could get Kristóf Milák to speak.

Despite his victory Saturday night in the 100-meter butterfly at the Paris Olympics, his silence after the race was expected. Milák hasn’t talked to reporters in his native Hungary for more than a year. And the dozen who waited for him knew what was coming.

Absolutely nothing.

“He's a bit more than special,” his Hungarian team coach Csaba Sos said. “Very special.”

“I don’t have any idea why he doesn't speak because he’s doing the same with the Hungarian media,” Sos added with a shrug. “I was a swimmer, and when I competed, I liked to talk.”

Hungarian reporters describe Milák as somber, temperamental, or detached and difficult to read. He stepped away from training over the last year and it was unclear how he'd rebound.

Milák isn't just any swimmer. He's the world record holder in the 200 fly, a race he lost earlier in the week to superstar Léon Marchand, who has won four individual gold medals in his native France. Milák settled for silver and walked off the pool deck after that race dejected, head down, hardly looking up.

He won gold in Tokyo three years ago in the 200 fly and added a silver in the 100. On Saturday there was some redemption, taking the 100 in 49.90 seconds. Canadian Josh Liendo took silver in 49.99, and fellow Canadian Ilya Kharun got a bronze in 50.45.

Hungarian reporters said Milák skipped local television interviews and the press conference after winning his race.

Since Milák didn't speak, Kharun was asked to describe him.

“I thought he was going to be like — really mean at first,” Kharun said. "All these rumors and stuff, but he was actually — he was really nice, you know, he was very supportive."

“I can tell you he is really good at what he does even though he that big break, Powerful, powerful stroke.”

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AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games