Ali Khalafalla
Ali Khalafalla
QUICK STATS
Birthday: May 13,1996
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
College: Indiana University
Coaches: Josh Davis, Noah Yanchulis
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- African Champion
- Mediterranean Games Bronze Medalist
- Rio and Tokyo Olympian
- Egyptian National Champion
- 3*Big Ten runner-up
- 2*World Championships Semifinalist
EXPERIENCE
Ali Khalafalla has been working with Fitter and Faster Swim Tour since 2019, and recalls a moment when a young swimmer told him how much she appreciated his feedback in a camp. He says, “That moment really stuck with me. I felt that this [leading camps] is something that I want to invest my time in, and pass on what I’ve learned throughout my swim career.”
Ali shares with Fitter & Faster camp participants his experience swimming at National Championships, World Championships, and the Olympics representing Egypt. He reminds them that he was once where they are as a young athlete with much to learn. He encourages camp participants not to take their time in camp for granted, as it was an opportunity he didn’t have growing up in Egypt where swim camps and clinics are not prevalent.
In sharing his experience swimming on the international stage, Ali reminds camp participants that success often requires failure in the beginning, saying that, “swimmers need to approach the sport with humility and accept that the first time they do something they are not going to be perfect. Repetition will result in improvement and progression.” He further says, “No one can be perfect, but we can always work toward that goal while improving along the way.”
