Kristóf Milák hauled a record fourth straight 100m butterfly title (2020, 2022, 2024 and now 2026) atop the first European long-course podium ever to feature a sub-50 victory, let alone podium. Indeed, it is the first sub-50 podium of swimmers in the same race from the same continent.

And that was just the first of Milák's gold medals win day 4: he later anchored the Hungarian 4x100m free with a furious 46.29 in a battle with the neutral's anchor Egor Kornev (46.35) to raise a loud cheer for the Hungarian victors in a championship record 3:10.03, to 3:10.12, Croatia third in 3:11.08 (more on that relay later...)

The 100 'fly blocks bristled with possibilities and honours beyond mere gold: at stake Milák's four peat; the pride of Switzerland, Noè Ponti chasing what would have been his nation's first victory since the event's introduction in 1970; and, the same for the hosts, France: could Maxime Grousset add his nation's first gold to a row of four silvers and two bronzes?

The crowd wanted to believe it had the answer: polite ripples for all the contenders as they were called out one by one to their blocks. Then, a great roar went up as Grousset, coached by Michel Chrétien at the INSEP (Institut National du Sport, de l'Expertise et de la Performance) in the Bois de Vincennes in the eastern part of the capoital.

Non! Said Milák, Olympic champion here in Paris two years ago but a man who lost his 200m crown to the hero of the hosts, "Léon, Léon, Léon" Marchand. Milák had a roar of his own: 49.48, a European record just 0.03sec shy of the global high bar held since Caeleb Dressel pipped the Hungarian for Olympic gold in Tokyo on July 31, 2021.

So, 49,48, the second fastest ever, off 23.19 at the turn; then Grousset, to the turn first in 22.97, home in 49.70; then Ponti 49.93, 23.34 at half-way.

What a race. Stroke for stroke, neck and neck. It moved the ink of history and the dial on the clock. The 100 'fly has never been won inside 50sec before, Milák's 50.18 from 2020 the closest anyone had ever got to achieving the feat.

And Hubert Kós, he of backstroke and medley excellence, did good trying out his 'fly: 50.25.

In victory, Milák broke a tie with Germany on historic gold count on the all-time medals table: four titles each since the race was introduced in 1970 is now 5 to 4 in favour of Hungary.

Fourth at his debut championships as an 18-year-old, the four peat breaks a tie at 3 straight titles with Lars Frölander (SWE, 1997, 1999, 2000), though the Hungarian's stretch of winning years was already greater, the career of the Swedish Olympic champion at Sydney 2000 coinciding with a shift by European authorities of the continental showcase to.even years (to clear the way to a move by FINA to hold the World Championships every two years in uneven years instead of every four years in mid-Olympic cycle).

The History File below ...