Tokyo 2020 - 'The best surprise in swimming today' - Former champion Alain Bernard hails Ahmed Hafnaoui
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Published 25/07/2021 at 17:36 GMT
Former Olympic champion Alain Bernard says that Ahmed Hafnaoui's win in the final of the 400m men's freestyle is the best surprise in swimming today. Bernard was particularly impressed with the way the 18-year-old managed to swim to victory despite an unfortunate lane draw.
'The best surprise' - Swimming legend Bernard on Hafnaoui's gold medal
Ahmed Hafnaoui stunned the world by winning the gold medal for Tunisia in the 400m men's freestyle - and one former Olympic champion is thrilled for him.
France's Alain Bernard, the 2008 100m freestyle gold medallist, told Eurosport that he had been massively impressed by the teenage Tunisian.
"I think it is the best surprise in swimming today," he said to Reshmin Chowdhury on Tokyo Today.
"He won from Lane 8 - I think he is only the third finalist in Lane 8 in [Olympic] history to win a final...
"He was the strongest today on the 400."
The 38-year-old added that he had also been impressed by the Australian women's relay team, who broke their own world record to win gold - and hinted that he thought Great Britain's Adam Peaty has a good chance of defending his 100m breaststroke title.
"He'll have a big goal - to conserve his title...I don't think [anyone] can beat him," he added.
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