Dimitar Dokuzov finished 17th in the 400m freestyle at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar. The 17-year-old Bulgarian swimmer finished seventh in the fourth heat with a time of 4:06.00 minutes.
Dokuzov started strongly and was in second or third place during the first 200 metres. After that, his pace dropped and he finished 17th overall.
“It was very tough. I started well over the first 200 metres, but then I was unable to maintain it,” Dokuzov said after the heat.
The Bulgarian competitor pointed to the water temperature, which was 29 degrees, as a significant factor. According to him, the conditions affected his performance and made the distance particularly demanding.
The gold medal was won by Rami Bilal A. Alrahmouni of Saudi Arabia with a time of 3:47.86 minutes. The Bulgarian’s next appearance in Dakar will be in the 200m freestyle on Friday. “The 200 is shorter, so hopefully I can manage it,” he said.
Dokuzov described his stay in Senegal as a pleasant experience. His family was supporting him from the stands in Dakar after travelling to Africa for the Games.