Silvia Solymosy and Jozef Solymosy pose for photographers with their medals at the end of the mixed duet technical final at the European swimming championships in Rome on August 15, 2022. (source: TASR)
Young artistic swimmers and siblings Jozef Solymosy, 17, and Silvia Solymosy, 19, were only hoping to improve their best, fourth place from last year’s European Aquatics Championships at this year’s tournament.
Last weekend their hopes transformed into a huge success, not only for them but also for Slovakia.
They won bronze in the mixed free duet event at the championships, held in Rome this year.
“We are happy to train together,” Jozef said after their achievement. “We have fun and a good understanding. Sometimes we fight, but it’s only motivation to improve.”
The siblings’ ambition and dream is to make it to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Historic medal
Their bronze is an historic, first-time medal for Slovakia in artistic swimming from the European sports event in 29 years.
The siblings came third with 77.0333 points last Saturday, right after Italian and Spanish couples. They performed to Ludwig Minkus’ Don Quixote.
“Bronze medals are worth gold to us,” said their mother and coach Ivana Solymosy. She has devoted 38 years of her life to artistic swimming.
Second bronze medal
The siblings added another bronze medal from the European championships on Monday, August 15, when they won a medal in the mixed duet technical event. They obtained 75.5914 points.
“I’m extremely happy that despite our problems with swimming pools, we have proven to the sports public that even in such a small country we can achieve great results in swimming sports,” said Slovak Swimming Federation President Ivan Šulek.
He described the Solymosy family as extremely modest, persistent and kind.
