The Egyptian town of Dahab witnessed a remarkable achievement by swimmer Mohamed Ayman who surpassed his original goal of swimming 25 kilometres in Dahab’s Red Sea.
On 21 July Ayman recorded one of the longest swimming distances in the Red Sea, exceeding his 25 km goal and crossing a locally-made finish line fashioned in the shape of a swimmer from recycled plastic, symbolising the importance of environmental conservation and the use of recycled plastic to create unique artistic projects.
Ayman expressed his happiness in his achievement and gratitude towards the SwiMaster team that planned the event and their “unwavering support” so that he could achieve such success “in an event that every Egyptian can be proud of”.
Under the slogan ‘Swims for Life’, the event was held under the auspices of the ministries of youth and sports and the environment, the Egyptian Olympic Committee and the Modern Pentathlon Federation, aiming to raise awareness about environmental protection and promote sports as a catalyst for positive change.
Dahab is a small Egyptian town on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, approximately 80 km northeast of Sharm El-Sheikh.
After completing the grueling swim from Dahab’s 'Blue Hole' to the 'Three Pools' area, Ayman was welcomed by Ahmed Abdel-Khaleq, director general of the general administration of tourism and sports events at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and town head Abdel-Rahman Bahaaeddin, along with representatives of the youth and sports departments in Dahab and Sharm El-Sheikh, the SwiMaster team and sponsors of the event.
Lobna Amr, the coach and president of SwiMaster, expressed joy and pride in Ayman’s accomplishment, and the event’s overall success in advocating for environmental protection and encouraging youth participation in sports for improved health and well-being.
Amr thanked Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi, Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad, and Secretary-General of the Egyptian Olympic Committee Sherif Al-Erian who is also the president of the Modern Pentathlon Federation for supporting the event and believing in its message.
After congratulating Ayman and the SwiMaster team, Salaheddin Aloui, chairman and managing director of Jupiter Commz, one the event’s sponsors, said: “From the very first moment we all believed in this event because of its noble goals of contributing towards the protection of the environment, and emphasising the importance of swimming as a tool to spread awareness. We believe that everyone should search for their passion until they find it, so our sponsorship of this event comes from our pride in both our beloved Egypt and in Egyptian athletes who achieve exemplary achievements, such as Ayman did today, with this record-breaking swim in the Red Sea.”
Ayman has made remarkable strides in his sports career, achieving notable placements in various races, all the while showcasing his exceptional talent and determination. He joined SwiMaster in 2020, joining a team that believed in his abilities and prepared him to explore his strengths and believe in his unlimited potential.
Ayman finished fifth and 10th place in the Ironman 70.3 race, and 15th in the 2023 Bosphorus Cross-Continental Swimming Race out of 2,600 participants, in addition to a fourth-place finish in the Oceanman 10 kilo race.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 25 July, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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