Akaram Mahmoud is one of the best Egyptian swimmers of all time. He earned his country’s first ever aquatics victory at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games with a gold medal in the 800 meters freestyle. Later that year, he arrived to the U.S. for the first time to swim for the University of South Carolina.
International Career
Mahmoud started his international career in 2014 at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China where he captured Egypt’s first ever gold medal. He won the 800 meter freestyle in 7:54.29. A year later he won four individual gold medals at the All-Africa Games in the 400, 800 and 1,500 meter freestyle and 200 meter butterfly.
2015 FINA World Championships
At his first World Championships, Mahmoud finished just shy of a podium place. He touched fourth in the 1,500 meter freestyle in 14:53.66 behind Italy’s Gregorio Paltrinieri, USA’s Connor Jaeger and Canada’s Ryan Cochrane.
2016 Rio Olympic Games
At his first Olympic Games, Mahmoud finished 11th in the 1500 meter freestyle in 14:58.37. He also swam the 400 meter freestyle where he finished 27th in 3:49.46.
University of South Carolina
2014-2015
Mahmoud arrived on South Carolina’s campus in December 2014 and made an immediate impact on the Gamecocks team. At the 2015 NCAA Championships he earned points for the Gamecocks with a 6th place finish in the 1650 yard freestyle in 14:46.50. He earned another All-American honor as a member of the 800 yard freestyle relay as South Carolina finished 11th.
2015-2016
In his sophomore season, Mahmoud earned South Carolina’s top male finish ever at an NCAA Championship. He swam to the silver medal in the 1650 yard freestyle in 14:31.66. He also finished 4th in the 500 yard freestyle in 4:12.86 and was a member of the 15th finishing 800 yard freestyle relay. At the SEC Championships, Mahmoud won the 1650 yard freestyle to become the Gamecocks’ first male SEC Champion in 15 years.
2016-2017
At his 3rd NCAA Championships, Mahmoud won a bronze medal in the 1650 yard freestyle behind Texas’ Clark Smith and Michigan’s newcomer, Felix Auboeck. It may be the longest race but it may have been the most exciting at the meet in 2017. The top three as well as fourth place finisher Jordan Wilimovsky battled in the final portion of the race and pushed each other to post the four fastest mile times of all time. At the touch, it as just 1 second that split the four.
Earlier in the week, Mahmoud swam the 500 yard freestyle and finished 6th in 4:10.83. He also finsished 13th in the 800 yard freestyle relay.
