There is an important phrase in the Shakespearian play Julius Caesar that says, “Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees by which he did ascend.” I know Eyad would never do that. He has always been fully appreciative of where he began his career and the path he has taken.

Most Swimwatch readers will know Eyad is currently in Budapest competing in the World Swimming Championships. He is swimming as part of the World Refugee Team. And has just sent me this photo of two swimmers recruited by FINA to help the refugee swimmers at the championships. And what a photograph it is.  If anything “Looks into the clouds” this photograph does.

Eyad, of course, is holding the camera. But who are the other two? Swimming Gods is the answer.

First there is Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Here is what Wikipedia say about her swimming career.  

Ranomi Kromowidjojo born 20 August 1990 is a retired Dutch swimmer^] of mixed Dutch–Javanese Surinamese origin who mainly specialises in sprint freestyle events. She is a triple Olympic champion, winning the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics, and in the 50 m freestyle and 100 m freestyle at the 2012 Olympics. Kromowidjojo holds the world record in the 50 meter freestyle short course, and as part of the Dutch team she holds the world records in the 4×50 m, 4 × 100 m, and 4 × 200 m freestyle relays (short course). She has won a total of 39 medals in FINA World Championship events.

And the third person in the photograph is another swimmer called Anthony Irvine. This is what Wikipedia says about his swimming career.

Anthony Lee Ervin born May 26, 1981 is an American competition swimmer who has won four Olympic medals and two World Championship golds. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men’s 50-meter freestyle, and earned a silver medal as a member of the second-place United States relay team in the 4×100-meter freestyle event. He was the second swimmer of African descent after Anthony Nesty of Suriname to win an individual gold medal in Olympic swimming. He is the first United States citizen of African descent to medal gold in an individual Olympic swimming event.

Ervin stopped swimming competitively at the age of 22 in 2003^[5] and auctioned off his 2000 Olympic gold medal on eBay to aid survivors of the 2004 tsunami but he began to train again in 2011.

Ervin competed in the 50-meter freestyle event at the 2012 Summer Olympics where he placed fifth. At the 2016 Summer Olympics, 16 years after his first Olympic gold medal, he won the event for the second time, at the age of 35, becoming the oldest individual Olympic gold medal winner in swimming.

What an experience Eyad is having. And I have a feeling his journey is just beginning. Swim well Eyad.