Budapest 2024, Day 1 Finals: Ahmed Jaouadi Heads 1500 Free Fastest Heat To Take Title; WJR For Kuzey Tuncelli
Ahmed Jaouadi clinched the men’s 1500 free title after heading the fastest heat on day one of the short-course worlds in Budapest.
The Tunisian came home in 14:16.40 to take the gold ahead of world record-holder Florian Wellbrock, who’d posted 14:17.27 in the second of the slowest heats in the morning at the Duna Arena.
Kuzey Tuncelli was third, his time of 14:20.64 a new WJR as he sliced more than seven seconds off Gregorio Paltrinieri’s former standard of 14:27.78 that had stood since November 2012.
Jaouadi told Swimming World: “To be honest, I wasn’t favourite, I just tried doing the heat. I wasn’t expecting to win but I was expecting to medal – I was thinking second or third but I wasn’t expecting first. It’s good.”
Of how he approached the race given what Wellbrock had done this morning, he said: “I didn’t really change a lot. I was just trying to swim my race and see what happens next.”
Tuncelli has had a memorable year which has seen him introduce himself on to the senior global stage with some style.
While 16, the swimmer from Türkiye won the European 1500 title ahead of Olympic silver medallist Mykhailo Romanchuk before claiming the European junior title in a jaw-dropping WJR of 14:41.89. It was a national record as was his winning time of 7:48.01 in the 800 free.
Weeks later, Tuncelli headed to Paris 2024 and there he finished fifth in the longest race in the pool, lowering that short-lived WJR to 14:41.22. Now 17, Tuncelli holds both the long and short-course junior standards and has his first senior medal on the global stage.
“It’s incredible to win a medal at my first World Short Course Championships,” he said. ” I wish to congratulate all of my competitors. It was an incredible race for me, swimming faster than the World Junior record of Gregorio Paltrinieri.”
Rather ominously for his rivals, he said: “The feeling is good, but it’s only the beginning.
“When the race started I was a bit behind and I was feeling bad, but I told myself that I was not giving up on the race and the feeling was good. I was very pleased with my time. I remember racing against Mykhailo Romanchuk at the European Championships, another legend. Also an incredible race and that was a very good experience for me winning the gold medal.
“I could not see the people cheering for us in the race, but it was great to hear them. I was pleased to see that Florian Wellbrock (GER) placed second from his swim in the morning heats. He is also a legend in this event and he came from the stands to congratulate me on the world junior record.”
