For many, swimming is a healthy exercise, for Ildi it is a lifestyle. She grew up in Hungary, and by age six, Ildi was a competitive swimmer. Swimming has been so ingrained in her life that she could no longer separate it from her identity. Along with many young children, Ildi also had dreams of swimming in the Olympics. While she did not attain the rights of the five-ring tattoo on her body, swimming has led her to a New World, to a collegiate athletic scholarship, and most of all, a welcoming swimming community and life-long friends.

Ildi began her swimming career in Hungary at age three. She qualified for the Cadet European Championships in the 200-meter butterfly at age 12. At 16, she earned the bronze medal at the Hungarian National Championships in the 200-meter butterfly and anchored the 4x100 free relay to a National title. However, according to her Hungarian coach, Ildi was not good enough to make it at the elite level.

Ildi tried her luck across the “Pond,” and continued the sport at Mercersburg Academy, PA under Olympic alternate and Michigan State alumnus, Pete Williams. He trained her to Junior Nationals and helped her get recruited by his alma mater, Michigan State University. At MSU, Ildi met amazing coaches and mentors. With their support, Ildi became a four-time Academic All-America, earned three individual and two relay school records, was named Student-Athlete of the Month by MSU Athletics, and made the Olympic Trials cut in the 200-meter butterfly.

After ten years of hiatus from the sport, Ildi found love again in masters swimming. With the help of her current coach, Chris Morgan, Ildi became a World Champion in the 200-meter butterfly in 2014, 2017, 2024, as well as Pan-American Champion in 2018 and 2022, and National Champion in 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, and 2024.

Ildi discovered her passion carried over to the open water world as well. She avidly races open water in summers, claiming National Titles in the1-mile in 2017 and 2022, and a silver medal in the 5K at Masters Worlds in Doha, Qatar in 2024, her first World Open Water Championships. 

Ildi was named Bay State Swimmer of the Year in 2020, and was inducted to the New England Masters Swimming Hall of Fame in 2023.

Ildi has dedicated her time to promote masters swimming and provides tips, drills, and training workouts for all ages on her social media. Her upcoming swim schedule for 2025 will be to embark on the SCAR SWIM in Arizona (a 4-day lake swim, totaling 40 miles), crossing Lake Balaton in Budapest, and racing at another World Masters Championships in Singapore.

You can follow Ildi on Instagram and see all of her offerings at Swimplifly!