Swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui, recent double world champion in the 800 and 1,500 meters, wants to become the most decorated Tunisian in history at the Paris Olympics next year. “My biggest dream would perhaps be to break the record for the Tunisian (sportsman) to have the most medals. Break all world records,” said the 20-year-old prodigy the day after his return from Japan. This record is held by long-distance runner Mohammed Gammoudi, who stood on the podium four times between 1964 and 1972.
Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui was Olympic champion in the 400m in Tokyo in 2021. He has just won two gold medals at the world swimming championship (Fukuoka – Japan 2023) over 800 meters and 1500 meters, where he beat the world record, and a silver medal in the 400m. In front of the press, he advised “everyone to believe in themselves and to work, to make sacrifices” also “in order to be able to succeed”. “Above all, don’t let yourself go and sweat,” he added.
The swimmer, who was welcomed Tuesday at the airport by an official delegation, said he was thinking “right now” of the Olympic Games organized next year in France. “Am I going to swim for the 100 and 200m? In the schedule, we will go up in the distances. I will perhaps swim the 5 and 10 km at sea,” said this giant of 1.95 meters for 84 kg. He plans to “maybe swim the 200m”, but “the 100m will be very difficult”, he said.
Settled in the United States to follow university studies in sports management at the University of Indiana Bloomington, he explained that the championship season with his university will end in March. “Then we will stay in Indiana until May”, then will begin “really the preparation for the Olympic Games”.
