Participating in the Olympic Games is the dream that every athlete aspires to. Although some manage to step onto the podium and take home a medal, others become famous for their unconventional participation in this sporting event. That was the case with Eric Moussambani.
In 2000, during the swimming competition of the Olympics, the athlete from Equatorial Guinea, Eric Moussambani, competed alone in a 50-meter long pool in front of more than 16,000 people. However, this did not allow him to achieve a good time, as he set the worst record in the history of this sport.
YOU CAN SEE: Who is Mo Farah, the athlete who went from being a domestic slave to an Olympic champion?
Who is Eric Moussambani, the Olympic swimmer who set the worst record in history?
Eric Moussambani Malonga was born on May 31, 1978 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Although he hoped to become an athlete, life pushed him to choose swimming. At the age of 22, his sporting career captured the attention of the world due to his unusual participation in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Currently, the athlete is 44 years old and since 2012 he has worked as the official swimming coach for the national team of Equatorial Guinea.
What happened to Eric Moussambani at the 2000 Sydney Olympics?
In 1999, Equatorial Guinea had received a direct pass to participate in the upcoming Olympic Games. With intentions of participating in athletics, Eric Moussambani visited his country's official training facility to register.
However, since the team was already complete, the local Olympic Committee offered him the opportunity to compete in swimming, a discipline he knew little about. With no coach and in a 22-meter long pool at a hotel in the capital, Moussambani trained for eight months.
Thus, on September 19, 2000, Eric Moussambani faced two other inexperienced swimmers in the swimming preliminaries. To the surprise of the athlete, his opponents were disqualified due to a false start, leaving him alone in the competition.
YOU CAN SEE: Who is Ariana Orrego, the first Peruvian gymnast to qualify for the Olympic Games?
At the age of 22, Eric Moussambani participated in the Sydney Olympic Games. Photo: Marca
In this way, Moussambani not only swam alone, but also amazed the audience because he lacked the technique to complete the 100-meter freestyle. With a time of 1 minute, 52 seconds, and 72 hundredths, the African became the swimmer with the worst record in history in that sport.
"The first 50 meters, I think I did well. I had a good performance. The water was very clear, and it was strange to see the cameras down there. I focused all my energy on giving myself encouragement to reach the end. I was exhausted in the last 50 meters", he commented in an interview for the EFE agency.
Despite his unconventional participation, Eric Moussambani was contacted by several media outlets and secured a one-year contract with Speedo, a renowned sportswear brand. He also became the star of those Olympic Games and is remembered as a symbol of overcoming obstacles and effort.