Mellouli's 2008 gold was not predicted by manySwimmer Oussama Mellouli came back from a drugs ban to win the men's 1500m freestyle gold at Beijing 2008. Days before that final, Mellouli had been disappointed with a fifth-place finish in the 400m freestyle. "For the first time in the Olympic pool, in an Olympic final, I just see crystal clear blue water in front of me,"I am in the lead,” says the swimmer. Second goldMellouli took to open water swimming like a duck to - well, waterThere were some who questioned it, given the failed drug test. "It is whole different sport from pool swimming," he says.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 26, 2020 20:03 UTC