Abdelrahman Elaraby Wins Double Gold in Zagreb

Egyptian sprint swimmer Abdelrahman ‘Haridi’ Elaraby has brought home double gold from Zagreb.

Elaraby delivered a standout performance at Croatia’s Golden Bear meet, winning gold in both the 50m freestyle and the 50m butterfly. The two sprint events are his strongest, and he came away from the meet as champion in each.

His 50m freestyle swim set a new Egyptian record and a personal best. It was the fastest he has ever gone over the distance.

The result came just weeks after Elaraby won gold at the African Championships. He arrived in Zagreb in strong form, and his freestyle in Croatia was quicker still.

The trip almost did not happen. Elaraby had originally planned to step away from swimming for a short break, after a period of burnout. He wanted to rest and reset rather than compete.

That changed when an invitation arrived from the Medveščak Club in Zagreb. The club was celebrating the 40th edition of its Golden Bear meet. Elaraby accepted, and raced at an event he had not planned to attend.

He has said his times in Croatia were faster than the ones that won him the African title around a month earlier. He had not expected that after deciding to take a break.

For Elaraby, it was a reminder that stepping back and resetting mentally and “not forcing things can lead to the best performances.”

He leaves Croatia with two golds and a national record. The break, it turned out, did him no harm at all.