Ahmed Hafnaoui, a two-time world champion swimmer, said on Wednesday that he hopes to become Tunisia’s greatest Olympian at next year’s Games in Paris.
The 20-year-old, who won gold in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle events at the World Championships in Japan last week, stated his goal is to “break the record for the Tunisian having the most medals and break all world records.”
Tunisia’s most successful Olympian is long-distance runner Mohammed Gammoudi, who won four medals between 1964 and 1972.
Hafnaoui already has one Olympic gold medal, which he won in the 400m in Tokyo in 2021.
At the world championships last week in Fukuoka, he also claimed silver in the 400m.
“Everyone should believe in themselves and to work, to make sacrifices in order to be able to succeed,” Hafnaoui told reporters on his return to Tunisia from Japan.
At the Paris Olympics next year, he said he may also enter the 5km and 10km open water swimming events as well the 200m freestyle in the pool.
“But the 100m will be very difficult”, said the US-based swimmer.
