Infuriating: US university bans Olympic bronze medallist Dávid Betlehem and 5th Betti Fábián from training
Dávid Betlehem won bronze at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the men’s 10 km swimming marathon while his teammate, Kristóf Rasovszky, secured the gold medal for the Hungarian team. Everybody talked about a miracle, and Betlehem continued his career as an athlete and a freshman at North Carolina State University with his girlfriend, Olympic 5th Betti Fábián. However, the university did not support their swimming marathon training and, ultimately, even banned Betlehem and Fábián from training.
Dávid Betlehem and Betti Fábián stopped by American university
According to 444, Dávid Betlehem and Betti Fábián are to move home after a short stay in the USA as freshmen at the North Carolina State University. The university proudly presents both on its website, writing that Betlehem won bronze while Fábián finished 5th at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the 10 km marathon swim. However, the institution did not support their training in that swimming stroke. Hungarian media did not report the university’s reasons.
444 wrote that the university would have supported their training in pool strokes and university competitions instead of world championships in the 10 km marathon. As a result, they decided to come home.
Interestingly, the university banned them from attending training on campus. Consequently, Betlehem could not prepare for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in Budapest starting next Tuesday, so he will not compete.
They shared the following statement this morning:
“First of all, we’d like to thank the opportunity to NC State for including us to their great team. We really enjoyed our time there and we are truly grateful for being part of the family and, even more importantly, being treated as member of the NC State family. It was a tremendous experience for both of us, however, we had to recognise that with open water swimming in our focus, it’s better to return home and prepare for the coming challenges in Hungary as we did before the Olympics.
While taking this sad decision, we also ask everyone to accept this – and to avoid generating any conflicts as our story is about gaining experience, learning lessons and finding the way to give our best efforts. We learnt a lesson and acted accordingly.
We are sorry to leave NC State, and again, our hearts are filled with love when we remember of the past months spent there.”
She disinfected with pálinka after swimming in the Seine
As you may recall, Betti Fábián and her fellow swimmers were the first to swim in the Seine at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Before, authorities ran several tests concerning the water quality and found it acceptable only last minute. It went viral that Betti disinfected with pálinka, the traditional Hungarian spirit. Then she drank Coca-Cola. Even so, the 19-year-old swimmer became hospitalised after experiencing nausea and a fever.
We hope that both athletes will find their new homes to train, prepare for future competitions and make us all proud again.
Both swimmers were thankful for the opportunity to prepare in the Danube before the Paris Olympics. They mentioned that as a deciding factor in their success. The water quality of the river is already much better than that of the Seine. Consequently, the Danube could host several swimming competitions at a possible Budapest Olympics. There is a chance now for that since both the government and Mayor Karácsony seem to support the idea and many facilities are ready for the event, including the National Athletics Centre recently opened to the general public.
Read also:
- Miracle in the Seine: Hungarian gold and bronze in men’s 10 km swimming marathon at Paris Olympics – read more HERE
- Great news: National Athletics Centre in Budapest is open to the general public – PHOTOS and more in THIS article
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