After Ous Mellouli became the first swimmer to win medals in both the pool and open water at an Olympic Games in London it appeared that the Tunisian swimmer had raced his last race.
After winning the 10 kilometre open water event Mellouli told ESPN, “I don’t think there’s a better way to go out than this. I can just leave it all behind and have no regrets.”
It now looks like we have not seen the last of the 2008 1500 freestyle Olympic Champion. In an article published on the 2013 FINA World Championships website Mellouli let the world know that he will be back in the water in Barcelona, “I want to compete at the World Championships,” said Mellouli.
“It will be 10 years since my first medal, in the world champs (also) in Barcelona in 2003. I want to compete in both the open water event and the 1500m.”
Mellouli won the bronze medal in the 400 IM at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona.
“After London, I said I was ready to take my leave. But I re-evaluated my situation and I fixed for myself new goals with this new passion that is open water swimming. At my age and after the career I’ve had, it’s cool to have that sort of stimulus. I’ve kept fit but I’ve not been training intensively. Four months out from the worlds, I’ll see how it pans out.”