Swimmer Amel Melih Breaks Three National Records at Over 30 Years Old

Algerian international swimmer Amel Melih, aged over thirty, has proven her enduring elite status by breaking three national records in a single day at the 2026 French Short Course Swimming Championships.

Competing in the 50-meter backstroke, she initially clocked 28.59 seconds in the heats before improving her mark to 28.36 seconds in the final. Her most significant feat occurred in the 100-meter freestyle event, where she recorded an exceptional time of 54.99 seconds, making her the first Algerian female swimmer to break the symbolic 55-second barrier in the discipline.

Sharing her delight on social media, Melih thanked supporters for their motivational messages. She also disclosed experiencing back pain during the competition and plans to take a brief rest to recover before quickly returning to training with ambitions for future improvements.