Tunisia's Ahmed Hafnaoui surprised everybody, including himself, after winning the 400m freestyle gold on Sunday and producing the first major upset of the Tokyo Games so far.
The 18-year-old swimmer had kept pace with Jack McLoughlin, who held the lead for much of the race, before Hafnaoui surged in the final 50m to claim gold.
Upon seeing the results, Hafnaoui was overjoyed. He roared and punched the water as he lapped up the applause of the reduced crowd in the Tokyo Aquatics Centre. Kieran Smith from the US took bronze, about a half-second behind Hafnaoui.
The result was completely unexpected. Hafnoui had only just made it into the final with the eighth fastest qualifying time, finishing two seconds behind the heats winner. His gold-winning time of 3:43.36 was 2.32 faster than his swim in the heats.
"I just can't believe it, it's amazing. I felt better in the water this morning than yesterday and that's it. I'm the Olympic champion now," he said.
When asked if he was surprised by the result, he said: “Of course, it’s unbelievable. I didn’t believe it until I touched the wall and saw my face first. I saw the Australian guy from lane six, I guess in the 200m. It was a great fight at the end. I’m feeling great. I am feeling proud.”
In qualifying for the final Hafnaoui was only the second ever Tunisian to do so in Olympic swimming history. His gold medal is only the third ever won by Tunisia in the pool and the country's fifth Olympic gold in all sports.
"I just put my head in the water and that's it. I just can't believe it. It's a dream come true."
In qualifying for the final, Hafnaoui was only the second Tunisian to do so in Olympic swimming. His gold medal is just the third won by Tunisia in the pool and the country's fifth Olympic gold in all sports.
Having collected his medal, Hafnaoui was overcome with emotion during the podium ceremony.
"I was in tears when I saw the flag of my country being raised and I heard the anthem," he said. "I felt so proud."
Hafnaoui started swimming in Tunisia aged six when his father Mohamed, a former member of the national basketball team, enrolled him in a local club. He joined Tunisia's national swimming programme when he was 12 years old.
Prior to Sunday’s win, Hafnaoui was improving but nonetheless still very much a medal outsider. He competed in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, finishing eighth in the 400m and seventh in the 800m.
He dedicated his Olympic gold medal to his family and to building on the legacy of the Tunisia's first Olympic swimming champion Oussamma Mellouli.
Mellouli, who is due to compete in the 10k swim on August 5, was the first Tunisian swimmer to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics. The two-time gold medalist has said Tokyo will be his last Games, leaving Hafnaoui to continue the legacy of Tunisian swimming.
"I have a great relationship with Mellouli - he wished me luck before the race, and I guess I wish him luck in 10k in the open water," Hafnaoui said after the final. "He is a legend - I wish to be like him one day."
Hafnaoui now has a day’s rest to enjoy his victory, before returning to the pool on Tuesday to swim in the men’s 800m freestyle, where he will undoubtedly be less of an outsider.
Asked what his message was, the teenager said: "I dedicate this to all the Tunisian people. You have a champ now. I'm so happy to have a gold medal, just be proud of me, and that's all."
The north African nation has now won a total of five gold medals at the Olympic Games. In addition to Hafnaoui and Mellouli, runner Mohammed Gammoudi won gold in the 5000m at Mexico City 1968, while 3000m steeplechase runner Habiba Ghribi won at London 2012.
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Sustainable Development Goals
1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation
10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its effects
14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
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Founder: Ayman Badawi
Date started: Test product September 2016, paid launch January 2017
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TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
