In a stunning display of skill, determination and national pride, Egypt clinched an impressive 31 medals across both senior and junior categories — 11 gold, seven silver, and 13 bronze — marking a new milestone for Egyptian aquatics.
Egypt’s senior team led the charge, securing 14 medals — six gold, four silver, and four bronze — to top the standings ahead of athletes competing under the World Federation flag and Colombia, who finished second and third respectively.
The junior squad was equally dominant, amassing 17 medals — five gold, three silver, and nine bronze — outpacing their rivals from the World Federation and Greece.
The final day of competition saw Egypt close the championship in style, capturing eight medals — three gold, two silver, and three bronze — in a thrilling series of races that showcased both individual brilliance and team spirit.
Among the standout performances were that of Ahmed Hisham who stormed to gold in the men’s 150m bi-fins elimination event, clocking 1:18.27, ahead of France’s Clément Pat and Colombia’s Alejandro Sanchez.
Farida Mohamed took silver in the women’s 150m bi-fins juniors, narrowly behind Russia’s Daria Shilina (competing under the World Federation flag).
Omar Taher earned bronze in the junior men’s 150m bi-fins elimination, while Malak Sherif and Mohab Ehab added bronzes in the mono-fin events.
Malak Mohamed Shaalan claimed silver in the 150m mono-fin juniors, reinforcing Egypt’s dominance in youth competition.
In the 4x1km mixed relay, both the senior and junior Egyptian teams struck gold, with the senior quartet of Marwan Al-Amrawi, Nabila Hassan, Hassan Al-Dafrawi, and Nada Magdi triumphing in 38:49, while the juniors — Omar Taher, Rokia Essam, Yassin Mohamed, and Farah Wael — clocked 39:53.9 for another Egyptian victory.
With participation from 12 countries across four continents, the Alamein edition was a landmark for Egyptian and African finswimming. The Egyptian team’s medal haul surpassed last year’s performance in France, where they captured 19 medals (seven gold, nine silver, and three bronze), reaffirming the steady rise of the sport in Egypt.
Finswimming is an underwater sport consisting of four techniques involving swimming with the use of fins either on the water’s surface using a snorkel with either monofins or bifins or underwater with monofin either by holding one’s breath or using open circuit scuba diving equipment.
Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi extended “heartfelt” congratulations to the Egyptian Diving and Lifesaving Federation and its president, Sameh Al-Shazli, for their outstanding organisation and historic achievement.
Sobhi praised the team’s stellar performance and the 31-medal triumph, describing it as “a reflection of Egypt’s sporting renaissance and a direct result of the unwavering support provided by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi to Egyptian athletes.”
He highlighted that such success “demonstrates Egypt’s growing global reputation in sports administration and performance”, noting that the country continues to set new benchmarks in hosting and excelling in major international championships.
In an exclusive interview with Al-Ahram Weekly, Al-Shazli, who is also vice president of the International Finswimming Federation, expressed immense pride in the national team’s unprecedented success and the “flawless organisation” of the championship in Alamein.
“It’s an incredible result — truly exceptional,” Al-Shazli said. “The championship was held on our territory, in front of our fans, and the swimmers rose magnificently to the occasion. Egyptian dominance in open-water finswimming is now undeniable after victories in Serbia, France and now Egypt. Our golden wave continues.”
He emphasised the unique joy of the relay victories, describing them as “moments that unite the entire team”.
“The performances of Marwan Al-Amrawi, Nada Magdi, Yassin Mohamed, and all our champions were extraordinary,” he said. “Their teamwork, spirit and dedication embody the essence of Egyptian sport. This collective determination is the real secret behind our success.”
Al-Shazli also expressed “deep gratitude” to Sobhi and Yasser Idris, president of the Egyptian Olympic Committee, for their unwavering support.
“Their trust and encouragement have been essential. The government’s investment in our athletes and national teams is paying off in gold,” Al-Shazli affirmed.
He further noted that the federation has nurtured a generation of promising young athletes ready to continue Egypt’s legacy.
“I know our swimmers very well — their talent, discipline, and ambition. We have future champions like Tarek Hassan from Ismailia, who claimed third place worldwide in the 100m mono-fin. Our preparation camp in Alexandria was a key factor in this success, and I promise the Egyptian people there’s much more to come.”
Al-Shazli concluded with an inspiring vision for the future of the sport:
“Egyptian finswimming has proven its supremacy in long-distance events. Our next goal is complete dominance across all categories — in pools and open waters alike. We dream of seeing finswimming become an Olympic sport one day, so Egypt can bring home yet another medal for its proud name.”
With every stroke and every medal, Egypt’s finswimmers continue to etch their names in the annals of sporting history. From Alamein’s golden waters to future world stages, the message is clear: Egypt leads — in strength, spirit, and speed.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 16 October, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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