KAZAN (RUSSIA) - Laszlo Cseh admitted he fought back tears after winning the men's 200m butterfly gold at the world swimming championships on Wednesday to capture his first major title for a decade.
Hungary's Laszlo Cseh celebrates after winning the final of the men's 200m butterfly event at the world swimming championships in Kazan, on August 5, 2015
Hungary's Cseh clocked 1min 53.48secto beat Chad Le Clos by just 0.20sec on the wall as South Africa's world and Olympic champion had to settle for silver.
Poland's Jan Switkowski took bronze at 0.62sec as Cseh won a world title for the first time since taking the world 400m individual medley title in Montreal in 2005.
After three silvers at the 2008 Beijing Olympics behind US swimstar Michael Phelps and having had to settle for second in the 100m butterfly final in Barcelona two years ago, Cseh was determined to win in Kazan.
"Back in January I didn't think that the 200m fly would be the event I could make it in again," admitted the 29-year-old Cseh.
"I wanted to have a last shot to return to the top, I changed coach and training methods and it paid off.
"The last 20 metres were really tough, didn't feel my arms, but I told myself this one I wouldn't let go.
"I almost cried afterwards, but managed to hold it back. I'm strong, you know!"