Tunisian swimmer Mellouli voted Arab sportsman of the year

Beijing Olympic swimmer Oussama Mellouli of Tunisia was voted the best Arab sportsman of the year 2011 by the Egyptian magazine, Al Ahram al Arabi.

Mellouli, who recently won 15 gold medals at the Doha Arab Games, is also the 1500m world champion and the Arab world’s unique Olympic gold medallist, reports Xinhua.

Meanwhile, Tunisia’s football team Esperance Sportive de Tunis, which won the African Champion’s League, were voted the best Arab club of the year along with Qatar’s Al Sudd, the current Asian club champions.

Esperance’s coach, Nabil Maaloul, received the best Arab coach award while the club’s president, Hamdi Meddeb, was voted among the top six personalities having played an important role in Arab sports.

Al Ahram el Arabi’s awards are attributed each year following a referendum by leading Arab sports specialists and journalists.