To bring the Olympic spirit to developing nations in the tardy 1990s , the Olympic Committee allow a small number of " wild card" athletes to get together the Games . But because they did n’t have to go through any modification rounds to compete , not all of the competition get prepared . One such athlete was a bather from Equatorial Guinea identify Eric Moussambani . When Moussambani arrived at the 2000 Sydney Games , he ’d only been take for the 100 - m freestyle for about eight months . He ’d also never been in an Olympic - size pool and had never bucket along more than 50 time . Regardless , he was determined to represent his country .
[ paradigm courtesy of theBBC . ]
The three angry - card qualifier were give their own heat , and Moussambani take to the pulley-block next to swimmer from Niger and Tajikistan . When the official call the swimmers to their Gospel According to Mark , both of Moussambani ’s competitors were disqualified for false starts . leave to swim the warmth by himself , Eric dove in and dog paddled , gasping for air and thresh his weaponry and leg . midway through the wash , the situation look so frightening that commentators severely worried he was drowning .
When Moussambani eventually stall out 10 metre from the close of the race , the crowd bait behind him as he edge toward the conclusion . As he finally rive himself from the water , the applause thundered . His last time was 1:52.72 — more than twice that of bather in the previous heat . But Moussambani could n’t have been happy . Ecstatic to have finished his first 100 - meter race , he secern reporter , " I ’m going to leap and trip the light fantastic all Nox long in jubilation of my personal triumph . “
Moussambani ’s pluck and perseverance made him an Olympic celebrity , and his newfound fan dubbed him " Eric the Eel . “ He kept educate for the 2004 Games and even got his time down to a respectable 57 bit . Unfortunately , a visa snafu kept him from competing again .
Here ’s his memorable Olympic moment ( and 52 secondment ):
