Tunisian swimmer and Olympic champion Ahmed Ayoub El Hefnawi confirmed that his gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle race in the Olympic Games (currently held in the Japanese capital, Tokyo) is the culmination of a long period of work and effort and everyone who supported him in the past period.

Al-Hefnawi indicated that it is a 100% Tunisian industry, as he trained over the past years under the leadership of Tunisian coaches until he achieved this achievement.

Urgent: Tunisian swimmer Ayoub El Hefnawy achieves the first Arab gold medal in the #Tokyo_Olympics after winning the 400-meter race #Tokyo2020 #Tokyo2020 #Olympics#Al Kass Channels pic.twitter.com/NlEzH3ZpaQ

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Today, Sunday, El Hefnawy won the 400-meter freestyle, to be crowned the first gold medal for Arabs in the current Olympics.

El Hefnawy took first place, 0.16 seconds ahead of Australian Jack McLoughlin, who won silver, and American Kieran Smith came third to take bronze.

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Hefnawy said in an exclusive interview with the German news agency “DPA” (DPA), “I did not expect frankly to win or to run in the final, especially since I ran in the eighth lane, where the race is a bit difficult, but, thank God, I felt at the end of the race. I'm starting well and I got the gold."

"Becoming an Olympic champion is a dream for me and for any athlete in the world," he added.

Regarding his preparations in the last period in light of the Covid-19 crisis, Al-Hafnawi said, “I made great sacrifices, especially at the time of the pandemic, under the leadership of coaches Sami Ashour and Gibran Al-Taweli, and at first we were unable to obtain visas to enter training camps outside Tunisia, but in the end we We managed to solve the problem, worked hard, and won the Olympic gold today.”

The coronation ceremony of Tunisian swimmer Ayoub El Hefnawy with the first Arab gold medal in the #Tokyo_Olympics after winning the 400m race #Tokyo2020 #Tokyo2020 #Olympics#Al Kass Channels pic.twitter.com/Fj87erQfRA

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When asked if it was a 100% Tunisian industry led by Tunisian coaches, Hefnawi said, "Certainly, I am a 100% Tunisian industry, and I was trained by Tunisian coaches and a medical, technical and Tunisian staff until I achieved this achievement.. There are many who helped me, including officials of the Tunisian Olympic Committee The Tunisian Swimming Federation, the coaches and my family members who stood by me a lot, thank God we were crowned in the end with this achievement.”

He added, "We have been working since 2019, and we faced many difficulties and problems, but there were many who stood by me, and thank God I was crowned an Olympic champion in the end."

Regarding his fellow veteran swimmer, Osama Mellouli, El Hefnaoui said, "Mellouli has a 10 kilometer open water race in front of him, and I wish him success in it.

Regarding the 800-meter race he will participate in, El Hefnawy said, "The important thing now is to run for the final, and then we'll see what happens because I have to deal with each race step by step."