László Cseh - the most successful human at Beijing 2008 after "alien" Michael Phelps, so described tongue-in-cheek by the Hungarian media - is back. At Hungarian nationals in Budapest, the Olympic triple silver medal winner (each time behind Superfish) focussed on freestyle and backstroke. And what a focus it was for a man who returned to training in January.

Over 200m free he gave Gergő Kis's national record of 1:47.39 a scare with a 1:48.69 effort ahead of one to watch, 17-year-old Péter Bernek, on 1:49.36. Bernek trains with Cseh under the guidance of coach György Turi and won the 200m backstroke in 1:59.46. Cseh also clinched gold in the 50m back (25.51), 100m free (50.67), 50m 'fly (24.38), and broke his own national record in the 100m back with a 54.21 that improved a stroke on his time at the Montreal 2005 worlds. In second place was teenager Ádám Szilágyi, who warmed up for Euro juniors in Prague this summer with a 55.78.

Cseh met his match over 400m free, Gergő Kis, coached by András Farkas, clocking a terrific 3:46.86, inside his own national record by 2sec. Kis also made hay while Cseh was away, collecting gold in the 200m, 400m medley, 200m 'fly and 1,500m free (respectively, 2:01.77, 4:17.49, 1:58.01, 15:31.17).

All but those Hungarians based in the US were present at the Budapest meet over the past four days. Top of the tree was Dániel Gyurta,  with efforts of 28.73, 1:01.70 and 2:10.37 (1:04, 1:06 splits) ove 50m, 100m and 200m breaststroke. Coached by Sándor Széles, Gyurta struggled with his 5th-place finish in Beijing four years after winning silver over 200m as a junior but now looks to be back on track.

Among women, Evelyn Verrasztó set a national record of  54.61 in the 100m free and won the 50 back (29.60) and 200m medley (2:13.78). She also shared victory in the 800m free with young newcomer Boglárka Kapás, 16, on 8:39.72. Kapásalso won the 200m 'fly in 2:10.47 (splits: 30.80, 1:03.90, 1:37.71).

Eszter Dara took the shorter 'fly finals in 27.23 and 59.27), while Ágnes Mutina won the 200m and 400m free (2:00.15, 4:10.16).

SwimNews thanks sincerely Zoltán Orlay, editor at www.uszovilag.hu, for supplying the information and translation for this report.