By Aglaia Pezzato on SwimSwam
The day before the start of the 2024 World Swimming Championships in Doha, Qatar, the reigning Olympic champion in men’s 400m freestyle, and Ahmed Hafnaoui spoke to the press. Hafnaoui is also the defending World Champion in the 800 and 1500 freestyles.
The Tunisian champion explained that he had moved from Indiana, where he was studying Sport Management, to California for training reasons.
“Mark Schubert is one of the best coaches in the world. I’m so motivated to swim with him and with pro athletes who focus only on swimming, not on education, too,” Hafnaoui said. “So I think that would help me. Mark also is a smart coach. And he’s motivating his athletes every time. That’s the thing I like most about him.”
At Indiana, Hafnaoui sat out a season of college competition to get on track academically before a brief stint with the varsity squad, though he was allowed to train with the team and compete in non-NCAA meets during that time.”
I actually swam like two dual meets. I didn’t like the pressure of doing school and swimming at the same time,” he said. “And I was so pressed because my schedule was so busy. So, I preferred to just move to California and focus only on swimming.”
Hafnoui explained that he has been training back in Tunisia for three weeks, awaiting a return to the United States. Because he is no longer a student, he needed a different visa to continue competing in the USA.
“I’m applying for another kind of visa. I’m waiting for it. And my intention is to go back and train with Mark (SChubert) in California for the rest of my time till Paris. But I don’t think I’m going to study this year.”
In Tunisia, he is not following Schubert’s training program but that of his local coach.
Entering this meet as the top seed in 400, he said:
“Of course, it is pressure and confidence at the same time because you’re responsible for what you’re doing in the pool, and everybody is just watching you. So you have to push yourself to do your best. And in my opinion, that’s some motivation for me that pushes me harder, like pushes me to go harder in workouts and practices.”
Hafnaoui faced public criticism over his support for Palestine and an emergency relief fund in the early stages of the war there, but says he feels more comfortable to be closer to home. About how it feels to be competing here in Doha, closer to his home:
“I’m around my people right here. A lot of Tunisians are right here. They’re going to support me and that gives me some confidence. I love it.”
Hafnaoui is entered as the meet’s top seed in the 400, 800, and 1500 freestyles, with challenges expected from swimmers like Daniel Wiffen of Ireland and Lukas Maertens of Germany.
SwimSwam: Ahmed Hafnaoui: I’m Applying For A New VISA For The US To Swim In California
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