General Zorkani, A Major Force In The Open Water
Courtesy of Luciano Cotena, Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli, Italy. Major General Ahmed Zorkani was a major presence in the professional marathon swimming world throughout the 1950’s and 1960’s.
His passion is remembered fondly by the few athletes, coaches, trainers, pilots, sponsors, and administrators of that era.
The personable Egyptian was inducted in the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1973 as an Honour Administrator. He also served as a Vice President, Honorary Secretary and founding member for the International Long Distance Swimming Federation in the 1960s.
General Zorkani [shown above awarding winners of the Capri-Napoli event] organized and led the Egyptian Long Distance Swimming Federation, taking its representative athletes around the world to numerous competitions. He also helped organize the annual Maratona del Golfo Capri-Napoli and other International Long Distance Swimming Federation races held in France, Yugoslavia, Egypt and Lebanon between 1954 and 1967.
Copyright © 2016 by World Open Water Swimming Association
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.
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