Heroes of swimming: Abdel Latif Abu Heif

This Egyptian battleship tore through open-water marathon swimming with ease, finesse and generosity

Heroes of swimming would like to issue an apology. Some weeks ago, we described Johnny Weissmuller as the greatest swimmer ever. We may have misled you, and if we did, we're sorry.

Who, though, is Johnny's rival for Heroes of swimming's affections? An Egyptian swimmer called Abdel Latif Abu Heif: a legend not of the pool, but of the open water. If you haven't heard of him, you're not alone. Outside his native country – where streets and children were named after him, and he was feted wherever he went – Abu Heif's name is familiar only to a small circle of open-water marathon-racing fans.

Read the full article @ The Guardian