She also won the 400m individual medley in world-record time on Saturday, before winning 100m backstroke gold on Monday.
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“Amazing”, said Hosszu, whose nickname comes from her grueling schedule.
It’s the first time this fast and furious version of the game has featured at the Olympics, and before Rio got underway the Down Under rivals were expected to be in the hunt for bragging rights.
The 24-year-old world champion won a legal challenge last week to get herself reinstated to the Olympics, having previously been excluded because of her doping record.
“I don’t even feel exhausted just because I’m so excited”.
Hungary’s Katinka Hosszu continued her Olympic resurgence Tuesday night, winning gold in the 200-meter individual medley for her third gold at the Rio Games in four days.
In the process, she became just the sixth Trojan to win at least three golds in one Games and just the second to win them in individual events. If she wins, she’ll tie East German Kristin Otto’s mark of four individual golds.
On Tuesday, Hosszu led from the start inside world record pace for the first 100 metres, with 2015 world championships bronze medallist O’Connor second all the way for the first Olympic medal of her career. Honestly, I don’t think I had my best race tonight.
“I can’t say that I’m happy, it’s just good that I was able to compete”, she said.
Some of the really big names in women’s swimming begin their battles in the 200 meters freestyle event. “I know I’ve done the 100 back in the 400IM a million times and the goal was to make it like second nature when I came to Rio, which is how it felt”.
The 2012 champion in the event, Matt Grevers, was unable to defend his title after failing to qualify at the USA trials.
She added: ‘I’ve seen coaches exhibit that kind of behavior in training, but this is another level.
Hosszu didn’t scratch the event prior to the session, nor did she give a reason for the no-show, so she’ll receive a charge of 100 Swiss francs.
And she’s not done yet. She scratched the 200-meter butterfly to focus on this event and it all paid off. Now, all she has left is the 200 backstroke and a likely spot on the 4×200 freestyle relay team.
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American teenage sensation Katie Ledecky will be back in heats action as she seeks to follow up Sunday’s record-breaking victory in the 400m freestyle.
