‘It’s a dream and it became true’

Tunisia's Ahmed Hafnaoui was so shocked to see his name in the gold medal position for the 400m freestyle on Sunday he did not believe his eyes but after letting his stunning win at the Tokyo Olympics sink in he said he hoped to have made his family proud.

The 18-year-old, who finished ahead of Australia's Jack McLoughlin and U.S. swimmer Kieran Smith, said he was surprised even to be in the final, where he swam in the outside lane after being the slowest in qualifying.

Michael Phelps hailed Ahmed Hafnaoui for his "unbelievable swim", saying the 18-year-old Tunisian's shock victory was a great example of how swimming at the Tokyo Games is likely to have a series of wide open races.

Hafnaoui was the slowest qualifier but, from lane eight, held off fancied Australian Jack McLoughlin and American Kieran Smith for a huge upset.

"Unbelievable swim, I think he knocked almost five seconds off his pb (personal best), Phelps told reporters in Tokyo. "The difference between hese Olympics and the past, in my opinion, is that every single person in the final has a chance of winning gold – it doesn't matter if you are in lane one, eight or four, everyone is close."

"I believe it when I touched the wall ... I was so surprised I didn't accept that," Hafnaoui told a news conference. "I dedicate (the gold) to all my family, my mum, my dad, my sisters, I wish they are proud of me."

His gold medal is only the fifth won by a Tunisian athlete at the Olympics, but their third in swimming.

Letting out a scream when he realised he had won, he pumped his first and pointed at the electronic score board. "I just can't believe it. It's a dream and it became true. It was great. it was my best race ever," he said.

Hafnaoui will race in the 800m freestyle on Tuesday.