Tunis, August 4 (TAP) - Swimming once again brought glory to Tunisian sport with the emergence of young Ahmed Jaouadi, who was crowned double world champion in the 800m and 1500m freestyle at the 2025 World Aquatic Championships in Singapore (50m pool), inscribing his name in golden letters in the world annals and following in the footsteps of his compatriots Oussama Mellouli and Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui.

This historic double confirms the progress made by Jaouadi and his unshakable belief in his ability to climb to the top of the world podium and dominate middle-distance races, known to be among the most demanding in swimming, as they require exceptional physical condition and high-level technique combining endurance and tactical awareness.

"I admit I felt a slight disappointment because my goal was to break the world record in the 1500m freestyle. But this title remains a great satisfaction, especially since it's my second victory in a week," Ahmed Jaouadi confessed as he left the pool at Singapore’s multi-sports hall, flag in hand.

These words perfectly illustrate the mindset of this exceptional swimmer, driven by limitless ambition and a constant thirst for performance.

This historic double by the 20-year-old Tunisian is not the result of just a few minutes of competition, but rather the culmination of 14 years of work, starting from his beginnings at Avenir Sportif de La Marsa at the age of six, before deciding to continue his training in France with the Alpes 38 club at the University of Grenoble, all while pursuing his studies.

Jaouadi began his international career with the Tunisian senior national team at the age of 16 during the 2021 Arab Championships in Abu Dhabi, where he won four medals (2 gold, 1 silver, and 1 bronze).

In 2022, he added five more at the African Championships in Tunis (1 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze).

In 2023, he joined the French club Martigues, where he was taken under the wing of renowned coach Philippe Lucas, a key figure in distance swimming, who helped him reach a new level, as he had done with former world champions Laure Manaudou and Sharon Van Rouwendaal.

The year 2024 was full of challenges for Jaouadi, marked by three major events: the Doha World Championships (50m), the Paris Olympics, and the Budapest Short Course World Championships. In Doha, he experienced his first direct confrontation with the world elite, a valuable step in his learning of major international competitions.

In Paris, he competed in the 400m, 800m, and 1500m, finishing 4th in the 800m, just off the podium behind the big names of the discipline, Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen (gold), the USA’s Bobby Finke (silver), and Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri (bronze).

In December, he won gold in the 1500m and bronze in the 800m in Budapest.

The Singapore World Championships crowned this ascent. Jaouadi achieved a golden double in the 800m and 1500m, a feat that fills him with personal pride but which he also turned into a tribute to his compatriot and friend Ahmed Ayoub Hafnaoui: "I dedicate this victory to Hafnaoui, he’s going through tough times…," he said.

Returning to this double feat, Ahmed Ben Dhaou, Jaouadi’s physiotherapist, told TAP news agency that these performances resulted from a meticulous strategy considering the specifics of both races and analysis of competitors.

He explained that Jaouadi started the 800m final at a moderate pace until the 550m mark before accelerating over the last 250m, leveraging his strong finishing power to take the lead.

"In the 1500m final, where he faced heavyweights like Germany’s Wellbrock and the USA’s Finke, the strategy was to start slow and then gradually increase the pace in three phases from mid-race, something Jaouadi executed perfectly to secure a second gold medal."

With these world titles, the young Tunisian swimmer now carries a double responsibility, under the spotlight and closely watched by his rivals, demanding constant discipline and unwavering determination to continue his path toward the ultimate dream: Olympic glory at Los Angeles 2028.