Tribune | By Amina Chenik
It is in an atmosphere collected, that the procession bearing the body of Si Hammadi Achour, covered with the national flag and the colors of AS Marsa left his house in the village of Gammarth.
The sports family and the swimming family cry their legend. If Hammadi was one of those exceptional beings, loved by everyone for his humility, his simplicity and the sporting values that he embodied all his life.
We keep from him the image of the affable and straight man, very attentive with others, and of immense kindness. He will have given to the end the best of himself of himself in sport as well as in the care he took in the management of the pool of the Belvedere and that of the Tennis Club in the 1970s and 80s. This man as great in his stature as he was by his talent as a swimmer, imposed respect by his performances, his incredible sporting longevity but above all by his generosity.
He was the great champion of swimming, rescue and water polo for 15 years, from 1950 to 1965, not only from Tunisia, but also of France, Africa and the world (in rescue in 1955 and 1963).
With his legendary style in the back, and his exploits, he was, with Frai Ben Saad his elder, the swimmers’ icon of the following decades.
Then it was the magical moment of the 2nd international swimming masters of swimming: in 2017, fifty-two years after hanging up, if Hammadi swims at the Radès swimming pool, under the ovations of the public, a memorable 50 meters in an impeccable style.
And here is this former champion again taking up training to prepare for the 3rd edition of the Tom and swimming 1500m per day!
In 2018, he won the 50 back hands down, but also the 50 NL in his category. And the mixed relay with swimmers of 30 years younger. In July of the same year, he took part in the first African Masters championship organized in Algiers. At the Olympic swimming pool, Hammadi Achour who swam the 50 back, the 50 NL and the 50 breaststroke, received a warm welcome from our Algerian friends who ovationed this 82 -year -old champion, and devoted a one hour program on television.
In May 2022, guest of honor of the Tunisian Open Masters 5, he wanted to honor his country with his presence, although he was just out of the clinic. There was a long time, very long, to encourage swimmers, stoic to the end, exhausted but his eyes reflected the joy of being by the basin.
Fighting, he stayed until the end. The disease ended up being right for his courage, but if Hammadi, by his beautiful person, will continue to inspire swimmers, inviting them to approach as close as possible to the exemplary image he embodied.
The sadness is immense but the love that all those who have rubbed should have is eternal.
Let us form the wish that the sports authorities pay him the tribute he deserves.
That it rests in peace in the divine light.
