Dublin 2018: Zsolt Vereczkei eyes eighth Paralympics

If you want to hear stories about the last 26 years of the Paralympics you had better learn Hungarian. Zsolt Vereczkei is a swimmer who knows a thing or two about it and has no plans to retire any time soon. The class S5 swimmer has competed in every Games since Barcelona 1992 and has won seven medals in that time. One at each edition, always in the men’s 50m backstroke.

“Swimming is addictive. This is exactly where I want to be,” said Vereczkei, who is currently competing in Dublin for the 2018 World Para Swimming Allianz European Championships.

The 41 year old became a three-time Paralympic champion at Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000. In Australia, he also broke the 50m backstroke S5 world record.

“Endurance is key, but it is important to be ready for good times and bad times. We all face bad times in our lives and it is important you realise that, no matter what happens, we still need to go on, to move forward. The results will come.”

Then came bronze medals at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016.

“The Paralympic Games are continuously getting better and better. It is more competitive, there are many more athletes now. It was professional before but it is much more professional right now. It is good to see so many athletes here.”

Target Tokyo

Tokyo 2020 is in his plans, but he says the main objective is to still feel competitive. This is the reason why he was so happy after securing fifth place at the Euros.

“My main goal was to swim under 40 seconds and I did it. So I am very happy, it is a wonderful feeling to be in one more European Championships,” said the Hungarian. “Everything is possible but I need to swim better to be in Tokyo.”

The silver and bronze medallists in the men’s 50m backstroke S5 in Dublin - Italy’s Antonio Fantin and Great Britain’s Andrew Mullen - were not even born when Vereczkei won his first medal in Barcelona.

Vereczkei says that swimming against younger rivals helps him finding more motivation.

“There are so many young athletes but I’m still around them. I’m still competing against them and that’s where my motivation comes from, to achieve good results. After my seventh Paralympic Games I felt I could still continue swimming.”

And if anyone of them comes to ask the Hungarian swimming legend for advice he will be ready to tell them his secret.

“Endurance is key, but it is important to be ready for good times and bad times. We all face bad times in our lives and it is important you realise that, no matter what happens, we still need to go on, to move forward. The results will come.”

The Dublin 2018 European Championships continue until Sunday (19 August). You can follow the whole competition live on World Para Swimming's website.