Two-time Olympic gold medalist (1500m in 2008 and 10 km marathon swim in 2012) Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia finished fourth in the 400m freestyle at the FINA Short Course Swimming Championships today in Doha, Qatar.
Behind Peter Bernek of Hungary (3:34.32), James Guy of Great Britain (3:36.35), Velimir Stjepanovic of Serbia (3:38.17), Mellouli swam a 3:39.05 in the 16-lap race. That speed in the pool is an indication that he is getting ready again for another open water swimming campaign.
His speed, combined with his innate navigational IQ, will prove very useful over the 10 km marathon swimming course in both Kazan, Russia at the 2015 FINA Swimming Championships and Copacabana Beach in Brazil at the 2016 Olympic 10K Marathon Swim.
Southern California native, born 1962, is the creator of the WOWSA Awards, Oceans Seven, Openwaterpedia, Citrus Corps, World Open Water Swimming Association, Daily News of Open Water Swimming, Global Open Water Swimming Conference. He is Chief Executive Officer of KAATSU Global and KAATSU Research Institute. Inductee in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Swimmer, Class of 2001) and Ice Swimming Hall of Fame (Honor Contributor - Media, Class of 2019), recipient of the International Swimming Hall of Fame's Poseidon Award (2016), International Swimming Hall of Fame's Irving Davids-Captain Roger Wheeler Memorial Award (2010), USA Swimming's Glen S. Hummer Award (2007, 2010) and Harvard University's John B. Imrie Award (1984). Served on the FINA Technical Open Water Swimming Committee and as Technical Delegate with the 2011 Special Olympics World Summer Games, and 9-time USA Swimming coaching staff. Note: WOWSA only recommends products or services used or recommended by the community. WOWSA does not receive compensation for links or products mentioned on this site or in blog posts. If it does, it will be indicated clearly on that specific post. See WOWSA's privacy policy for more information.