The 400-metre freestyle gold medallist from 2021 has been affected by an damage that might hold him out of the Video games.
Tunisia’s Olympic 400-metre freestyle champion Ahmed Hafnaoui is unlikely to defend his title at this yr’s Video games in Paris because of an damage.
The 21-year-old’s participation on the Paris Olympics was solid doubtful after Mehrez Bousyan, head of the Tunisian Olympic Committee, informed a domestically televised sports activities programme that Hafnaoui will miss “a good portion” of the Video games, in response to Africa Aquatics.
Nevertheless, the swimmer has refused to rule himself out utterly.
“I’m at present affected by an damage, and I don’t know whether or not or not I’ll take part within the Olympics,” the 21-year-old Tunisian swimmer informed AFP information company on Wednesday.
He didn’t give particulars of the damage.
Boussayene mentioned “nothing is confirmed”, including the swimmer had a “growing damage” in his feedback to AFP.
“Extra than simply medals, we search above all of the wellbeing of this younger man who introduced us a lot pleasure,” mentioned Boussayene.
“He can have different world competitions.”
Hafnaoui’s win at the Tokyo Olympics despatched a wave of untamed celebrations by the North African nation.
The then 18-year-old completed in three minutes, 43.26 seconds regardless of being the slowest qualifier to start out the ultimate.
Hafnaoui went on to win the 800-metre and 1,500-metre freestyle titles eventually yr’s World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
If he swims in Paris this yr, he has an opportunity to match Tunisia’s high Olympic swimmer Oussama Mellouli, who gained two golds and a bronze within the 2008 and 2012 Video games.
The nation’s high Olympic medallist is long-distance runner Mohammed Gammoudi, winner of 4 medals, together with one gold within the 5,000-metre in 1968, between 1964 and 1972.