-Credit:Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah swapped shirts with Olympic gold medalist Ahmed El-Gendy as he showed his respect for his fellow sportsman during a telling conversation.
The Egyptian modern pentathlete made history during the summer as he set a new world record score at the Games in Paris – tallying up 1555 points in the men’s event. Having served as an official flagbearer for his country at the Olympics, he later became the first African competitor to earn a gold medal in the pentathlon.
After his heroic efforts in the French capital last year, El-Gendy has now opened up on the interactions he has enjoyed with fellow sporting legend Salah in the past. The 24-year-old revealed that he first met the Liverpool icon back in 2018, when they both attended an award ceremony.
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Speaking to Asharq News, the Cairo-born star stated that he enjoyed a conversation with Salah at the Mohammed Bin Rashid al-Maktoum Creative Sports Awards in the United Arab Emirates that year. He said: “Mohamed Salah has been a role model for me for quite some time.
“I received the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award in 2018 after winning the gold medal at the Youth Olympics. I was honoured in the United Arab Emirates where I met Salah for the first time and spoke with him. I was very happy.”
The athlete also detailed how the Reds winger got in touch with him to congratulate him after he won gold at the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He explained: “When I won the Youth Olympics, I received a call from him congratulating me, which made me very happy. He is a very humble person.
Ahmed El-Gendy made history as he earned gold in the men’s modern pentathlon event at the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 -Credit:Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Their interactions continued following on from these initial exchanges nearly seven years ago, with Salah speaking with El-Gendy again prior to last summer’s Paris Olympics. Outlining how they met and swapped shirts in the months leading up to the Games, he continued: “About six months before the [Paris] Olympics, we met at the national team camp.
“I gave him my running shirt and he gave me his. We took pictures together and he kept talking with me. One of the things he focused on most during our conversation was the mindset. He didn’t ask how I was training for running or swimming, but he asked how I was preparing myself mentally before the tournament.”
Going into further detail about what they discussed in their most recent meeting, El-Gendy added: “I’ve come to believe that mentality is more than just a topic that is discussed on social media; it is something that people should pay attention to because, in the end, you can be 100% prepared physically, but not strong or prepared mentally, which is a huge obstacle.”
The emergence of the news that the Egyptian sporting greats have struck up a bond in recent years comes as Salah’s contract standoff with Liverpool continues to dominate the headlines. The 32-year-old has less than six months left to run on his current agreement at Anfield and will be free to depart the club for nothing at the end of his deal if fresh terms are not agreed.