Coming off his historic gold medal performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Hungarian open water swimmer Kristof Rasovszky launches his 2025 international season at the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Ibiza. With fresh goals, renewed motivation, and a new sense of freedom after achieving the sport’s highest honours, Rasovszky is focused on podium finishes and a strong build-up to the World Aquatics Championships this July in Singapore.

Life Changes and New Beginnings: Kristof Rasovszky Opens New Chapter in Ibiza

Fresh off his gold medal triumph in Paris, Kristof Rasovszky is starting a new chapter in his career, balancing his drive for success with a newfound sense of freedom. The Hungarian star is making his first international appearance of the 2025 season at the World Aquatics Open Water Swimming World Cup in Ibiza, Spain, setting the stage for an important year ahead.

"It was a long journey to get ready for this season," Rasovszky said. "After Paris, I took a bit more rest through September, but by January, I was training hard again to be ready. I feel like I’ve done a really good job preparing. Two weeks ago, my pool times showed we're on a good path, so hopefully the open water races this weekend will show the same."

This weekend in Ibiza is shaping up to be a challenging one for Rasovszky, with the Olympic champion scheduled to compete in the 10km and 3km knockout races, followed by a 5km event at the Spanish Nationals.

New Goals: While Open Water Still No.1, Rasovszky Eyes Top Pool Results, Too

In addition to maintaining his dominance in open water, Rasovszky has set himself new goals, including becoming more competitive in pool racing.

"I want to get more involved in pool races and improve my status there too," he explained. "But back in open water, my goal is to be on the podium at as many races as I can. And of course, the biggest event this year is the World Championships in Singapore, so that’s a major focus."

Rasovszky is also excited about the new 3km knockout format introduced at the World Championships. "This is the first time we can compete at this high level in the knockout races. We're really looking forward to it, and I want to qualify and do my best there," he said.

Despite his impressive resume—including World, European, and now Olympic titles—Rasovszky insists he feels less pressure than before. "I feel less pressure because I achieved almost everything I could. But that doesn't mean I’m done. I still want to push myself to my limits ahead of Los Angeles 2028," he said. "It would be amazing to follow Sharon van Rouwendaal’s path and win medals at three consecutive Olympic Games."

Facing a Big Field in Ibiza

With 84 men listed to start the 10km race, Rasovszky knows the dynamics will differ.

"The first lap will be really tough because of the number of swimmers," he said. "Finding the right position early will be important. And after the halfway point, it’s almost like the race starts again, with everyone fighting for better positioning."

Rasovszky expects a wide variety of strategies to play out: "Some swimmers might push hard from the start, others might stay conservative and make a move later. It’s going to be interesting to see how it unfolds."

No Pressure, Just Passion

Asked about whether being Olympic champion adds pressure, Rasovszky was clear.

"I'm not here to hand out medals to others," he laughed. "Of course, I want good results, but I don't feel like I have to win. I'm just trying to be at my best level."

And for the next generation of swimmers, Rasovszky had a simple but powerful message:

"As my old coach used to say, 'Hard work always pays off.' I've seen why he said that. If you work hard every day and push yourself to your limits.

"You can achieve great things—not just in sport, but in life too."