Mohammed Zeitoun: God's Swimmer

By Luke Anderson

 

Mohammed Zeitoun, recently the winner of the Capri to Naples race, has been unanimously named the best ocean swimmer in the world.  Emerging from Syria as a champion swimmer, he has moved on to worldly competitions, facing some of the best swimmers of all time. Graciously, he has chosen to sit down with me for an interview in his hometown Jableh, to talk about his success, family and how he found swimming.

Anderson: Mohammed, you have been named the best ocean swimmer in the entire world. How has your childhood attributed to the success of your swimming?

Mohammed: Growing up, my father, Mahmoud, wanted nothing more for all of his sons to work on dry land.  I think that in some sense, the being forbidden from doing something made me only want it more. I’m not sure why, but I felt as if I belonged in the water.

Anderson: When was the first time you got your “sea legs”?

Mohammed: I spent most of my “tween” years apprenticing for an ironsmith and laying brick, but after years of pleading, my father gave his consent for me to crew on the local boats. I think I was about thirteen or fourteen at the time. After every fishing excursion I would jump off the boat and race the crew to the beach. Sometimes I would win! I guess that could be considered the start of my training.

Anderson: You mentioned earlier your father wanted all of his sons to work on land. Why is that? And how did you finally overrule your father’s decision?

Mohammed: When my father was a young man, he worked on a ship, and on one stormy trip, he was cast out into the sea. The crew threw what they could to my father, for staying afloat, but they were unable to turn around. My father drifted at sea for 2 days enduring sharks and storms until finally he washed on shore. He could not believe he had survived.  It was a miracle but from then on he promised to toy with fate again, and forbid all of his children, including me, to work on the sea. I eventually overruled my father’s decision to work on a ship but when I told no one of my training to swim. After becoming the greatest swimmer in Syria my father knew that Allah had wanted me to be a swimmer. That is when my father accepted my decision.

Anderson: Does your father come to watch your races?

 

Mohammed: He loves to watch me swim. He has never missed a race since he knew of my passion. I can always count on him to be in the crowd, even if I cant pick him out directly.

 

Anderson: You are the oldest of the family, if you could tell your younger siblings one thing about your beliefs, what would that be?

 

Mohammed: Nothing is impossible if Allah is on your side. If your heart is set on something that is how you know God is backing you up. Why would God defy what your heart desires and why would your heart defy what God desires?

 

Anderson: Has your religion impacted the way you live your life? If so, how?

 

Mohammed: We are here because God has willed it to be. My family is filled with strong willed Muslims, and the Zeitouns are an ambitious clan. I try to live my life, as Allah would want. I pray 5 times a day, and I like to think that I am a generous and kind person. One thing I know is that how you live on Earth will define your afterlife. That is the most important conviction of my faith. Do the right thing, whether you want to, or not.

Anderson: You are an amazing swimmer no doubt, but what is the most successful thing you fell you have ever achieved?

Mohammed: No doubt one hundred percent would be breaking my dad in for younger siblings who want nothing more to be a part of the sea. It may seem strange but Zeitouns and water go together better than Syrian food and their presentation.

 

Anderson: Now comes the most important question of all. If you could be one superhero, who would you be?

 

Mohammed: Ha-ha, well it may come as a shock, given everything you know about me, but I would choose Aquaman! Isn’t that surprising?

 

Anderson: Well thank you for much for your time Mohammed and good luck to you on your next quest!