Wid swimming

摘要

There is something about swimming in central Europe, with its baking continental summers, access to thermal waters and the culture of Turkish baths left by the Ottoman Empire. Switzerland has amazing public pools, some on the banks of lakes where you can jump from one to the other. Hungary is water obsessed too. Budapest has atmospheric 100-year-old open-air spas in the city centre, and swimming is the country's second most successful Olympic sport after fencing, followed by canoeing. It won gold for water polo at the Brazil Olympics in 2016. Keep half an eye on competitive swimming and you'll find a Hungarian in the line-up. For a nation of 9.7 million it does well.