Eric Moussambani OLYMPIC 2000 SYDNEY SWIMMING (HIGH QUALITY)

Eric Moussambani OLYMPIC 2000 SYDNEY SWIMMING

[@renewman28]

He learned to swim 8 months before, and only practiced in a 20m pool in a hotel. He had never seen a 50m pool before the Olympics. He managed to get his time down to about 57 seconds, and is now a coach. Respect for Eric.

[@CIF-pm7tk]

ok thats a great feel good story, but not for the olympics, thats for an after school special!

[@goodrose4734]

@@CIF-pm7tk All thess people in the Olympics would disagree with you

[@CIF-pm7tk]

@@goodrose4734 we all have the right to disagree. it was embarrassing to watch him get beat that bad, he didnt even reach a qualifying time. i would say the same if they put a token white guy in the 100m run who ran 14 seconds. oh but the guy really trained hard in hi war torn Bosnia, and only practiced by running ammo in the trenches. he didnt have a coach or a flat surface to run on, he only ran in the snow! ok, cool story, but he shoildnt be on the track, hes Not QUALIFIED!.

[@joegrimm9629]

@@CIF-pm7tk Even in the olympics you know who goes for a medal and who goes just to participate. In this case was a funny moment that you will remember more than some medal winners. Besides, after this, his country built an olympic pool.

[@bellakim9169]

!!!!

[@davo1093]

I was there with my dad, I was 12 years old. This video does not do justice to the ROAR of the crowd!!. Every single person was on their feet cheering/screaming for Eric. It was truely an awesome Olympic moment. The narrator in this vid is pathetic!

[@mafiousbj]

No it's not, it was just an inclusion farce and shows why you really shouldn't care about those kind of events, leaving thousands of way more qualified athletes by the wayside...

[@jerrylee7866]

@@mafiousbj then why bother having those small countries in the first place, let's just put US, UK, China, Russia and Australia and boom we got an Olympic

[@mafiousbj]

@@jerrylee7866 maybe we should, if you wanna see only the best. Still this was an extreme and ridiculous csse, most of the time athletes from small nations actually know what they are doing and have trained for years!

[@yesgo4887]

@@mafiousbj just stfu LMAOOOOO

[@gustavoguio8369]

@@mafiousbj He was chosen because there were no more qualified athletes from his country

[@Zultchy]

He was entered via Wildcard, which is usually allowed when there are not enough competitors from a specific location. In Erics case he was allowed wildcard to promote world wide competition to countries who cannot 'afford expensive training facilities'. Eric had only ever swam in lakes and up to that point in time, had never seen a 50 meter pool, much less swam one. Since his two competitors both had a false start, he won unopposed, but he was still required to swim the heat. The guy put a 10/10 effort and got a new best time for both himself and his country. That's a clap from me.

[@Zultchy]

You missed the point.

[@bladefist98]

Plus he barely started taking up swimming 8 months prior to this. Also to anyone who says whats the difference between a lake and a pool. In a lake you can't practice flip turns, hence his bad form in the video.

[@Neyonius]

bladefist98 It's actually *more* difficult to swim in a lake versus a pool, in a lake a swimmer has to deal with the shifting of the whole body of water, in a pool their isn't much wake or down pull you need to worry about.

[@coolro3684]

MrDubja It can happen to any nation in different sports. Remember UK when they had that nitwit ski jumper? He was from a rich Nordic country yet he made a "fool" of himself because UK did not have a capable jumping team. I bet because he is white you will not make any comments about that.

[@Zultchy]

on: "I don't know how this swimmer came in Olympic Games in the first place, it is travesty." That was already answered: *he was allowed wildcard to promote world wide competition to countries who cannot 'afford expensive training facilities'.* You are the only one bringing anything political or race related into this discussion. Affirmative Action has absolutely nothing to do with race representation in the Olympic games. Tokenism also has nothing to do with the Olympic games. I can tell you're pissed off but you're just yelling and shouting nonsense to make what ever point it is you are mad about. I suggest you find a proper outlet for your political anger such as a voting booth or a senate forum rather than being annoyed on KZbin. No one is going to take you seriously about anything you have to say when you are being disrespectful. I hope you find that outlet because at this point you're just throwing names around and fabricating these scenarios to match what point you're trying to make.

[@chrisere9]

His interview at that end "I'm feeling good, I am happy" - incredible how it meant so much to him

[@LasayRedJr]

5 years, and I'm your first reply

[@chrisere9]

@@LasayRedJr And so you are :) 5 years for one reply!

[@omarfarique6304]

@@chrisere9 His country has 2 hotels with swimming pools and none of them have water in the pool. So in short he was sent to the Olympics by his county even when he has never been in a swimming pool.

[@judeguerlinaugustin9422]

You skip your complex thoughts when speaking a language you don't know well.

[@NC-ck5oj]

I dont care how shit he was, he showed real heart coming down the final straight. He gave it everything he had in the true spirit of sport

[@kilmindaro3]

In the real world, "showing heart" is no excuse for failure.

[@jayoko9171]

kilmindaro3 but he did not fail . he finished it maybe not first place or world record but he made it nd i wont call that a failure

[@gonzaloquinteros4504]

kilmindaro3 the real world? THE WHOLE WORLD WAS WATCHING HIM. And showing heart is not a excuse, it's courage to fail, a thing you don't have.

[@Raigius]

kilmindaro3 Sports aren't the "real" world they are grown men playing games.

[@gavinandrews843]

+Hugh Jass i think a national record makes it a success.. 3 seconds off his PB! He has since took another 60 seconds off his PB and his national record... all swimmers know, a PB means a good day!

[@redcar9949]

This guy was taught to swim by fishermen in a river. He was the only one to show up to his country's Olympic swimming trials, which were held in a 13-meter hotel pool because there was not a single 50-meter pool in the country. He showed up to the Olympics in swim trunks and was saved by the South African coach who gave him a proper jammer and goggles. He knew that he would not fit in here but he still went after it and finished the race. He kept swimming afterwards and in the span of 4 years, qualified again for the 2004 Olympics after shaving a whole minute off of his time, only to be denied due to an error. He became the coach of his national team in the end.

[@setbro]

"It's not about winning, it's about not drowning"

[@hhluvzmagik]

When you get past the controversies, the corruption and the doping and then there are moments like this that show you the true spirit of the Olympics! THIS is what the Olympics are about!

[@asdfasdf-mn8iu]

The Olympics is about the top performers of the world competing with each other. That guy was worse than any rookie training to come close to the olympics. So i would disagree: THIS is not what the olympics are about.

[@ginomontella9429]

@@asdfasdf-mn8iu sport is about giving your best effort, he gave his best effort and inspired may people, his nation even started investing in sport centers. Not everyone has the same opportunities, so you should respect what he did

[@asdfasdf-mn8iu]

@@ginomontella9429 Sport for oneself is about giving the best effort. The olympics is about the best in the world competing with each other. The guy is probably super happy to have competed and that's fine and why should he not if there are no others. But to say, i quote leslie olson, "the true spirit of the olympics! This is what they are about" is utter bullshit.

[@Abluemoon9112]

@@asdfasdf-mn8iu are you dumb? It is not about the best competing. In the Olympic soccer is a U20 league not the best. Most pro basketball players do not play in the olympic. It is about representing your country and the spirit of the game.

[@icewater4725]

I also think that professionals should not compete. Like NBA PLAYERS AND PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS. growing up you think I'll make it to the Olympics someday....but you can't because professionals are there

[@wowanimejoshua5149]

The fact that the Australian spirit rang so loud that EVERY person in the building was cheering him on makes me proud of my country

[@user-zd3id2pr7o]

Love, Love, Love it... I'm proud and I'm not even an Australian but I was so pleased to see how they cheered him on...

[@ryans6280]

Pure class Australia 🤘

[@helbent4]

Apparently this video doesn't do the roar of the crowd justice.

[@nb_master_-xw4hq]

This is honestly one of the greatest moments in Olympic history... I remember watching this live as I was on school holidays in Australia. The cheer from the crowd to get him to the finish line was probably the loudest it was the entire Olympics for all swimming events

[@Teber256]

ofc. no one likes professionals, pumped up with money, who have access to expensive trainers and facilities. i only noticed this competition because of him.

[@MsAussieSheila]

​@@Teber256 Australians love swimming. It's one of our most popular sports - certainly our most popular individual sport. It would be our most watched olympic sport. It is what is on at prime time during Olympics. The swimming world championships is the only world championships that I have seen on the big networks during prime time. Our swimmers are absolute legends. We weren't cheering because we hate professionals. We were cheering because we love it when people have a go and give it their best.

[@tombombadilx]

I live in his country, and he is a hero in many ways. It's really frustrating to hear this man reflect about "whether this level of performance should be permitted in the olympics." Fuck you, every country deserves representation in the olympics and this was a huge deal for Equatoguineans. Especially at that time but still now, the country is very disconnected from the global community due to censorship and social media blockages, along with it being half islands and having poor internet connectivity. This was an enlightening time, and EG had a similar performance on the hurdles. The athletes represented the spirit of the olympics fantastically though, and brought that fire home. The government, which is not a super giving on to its people, took the experience and made something of it- they made a major sports complex for athletic training. They made an olympic-size pool, as there was no pool in EG yet. They made a proper training track. And Moussambani is now the national swim coach. Pride in athleticism is incredibly apparent now- you see the same hurdler from that year giving personal training sessions at my gym. People in athletic gear running along the highways. The attitude towards athleticism has improved greatly, and very much of it was owed to Moussambani's attitude about this race.

[@lxik2677]

100% agree on how disrespectful the narrator is. The people who do have the "level of performance" he talks about frequently have doped themselves. And while there are plenty who haven't and break records, they do so with heavy training and facilities for that. Eric had none of that, he had rivers, an hotel pool for 1 h a day, fishermen as coaches, but most of all, passion and determination for the sport. Massive respect to him. Also, I didn't know about those conditions in EG. Wow. I also come from a third world country, so I can relate with corruption and poor national facilities, but I'm glad that, after Eric's performance and the spotlight it shined on your country, your nation got much better conditions to promote sport and athleticism. I hope Eric continues to coach the next generation of swimmers over there.

[@josedominguez8242]

Love that attitude and I am in tota agreement with you. One of the most beautiful experiences in the Olympics

[@ShihammeDarc]

Imagine being one of the many swimmers failing to get on their national team and then seeing this later.

[@robmangeri777]

Amazing story!

[@josefanon8504]

the crowd represented the overall spirit way better than that dick of a commentator. I happy for impact on EG :)

[@brivvy]

Really makes you realize how fast Phelps and the others are. But this guy was so happy to compete for his country. Beautiful moment in sports history, in my opinion

[@dwaynethemineraljohnson412]

He won though

[@simplyachicken]

@@dwaynethemineraljohnson412 he won in his heat but not the event

[@user-zd3id2pr7o]

Who cares about Phelps this was a bigger moment than Phelps period... Whether anyone wants to admit or not... This guy never gave up and as you could see even the Australians were explaining the roars from the stand made this a bigger moment than any other... If you want to comment on Phelps and how fast he is go on a Phelps video... This is a moment for blacks to be very proud as well as the amazing Australians that cheered him on the whole way... Please, next time just speak on the swimmer and don't throw in stuff about Phelps as the whole world done knows about him and this wasn't his moment... @JUSTSAYINNN if you're proud be proud of him without speaking of those who everyone done knows about and I'm sure this moment was much more big than any Phelps has ever had...

[@shutupthanks222]

@@user-zd3id2pr7o he literally just pointed out how seeing a pretty average/below average swimmer really emphasizes how good phelps is, you dont need to write an entire paragraph

[@zutusz]

Not laughable at all, he did his absolute best and deserves all the respect

[@johnrambo5055]

To win a 100m freestyle with nobody else even visible on the screen is simply amazing. GOAT

[@ge_orge1]

He had only learnt to swim earlier that year, in a 20m pool! He was in the race as a result of a wildcard entry to have under developed countries participate in the Olympics. Knowing the story behind you can appreciate the spirit this man has. It was an incredible moment I wish I had seen with my own eyes. If this is not what the Olympics are about then I don't know what is.

[@Psolaris42]

Amen to that good sir or madam. Amen. I remember watching this when it happened...and I sobbed with joy when he finished. This is in my top 5 favorite Olympic moments.

[@ItilayItshay]

Absolutely. I cried when I was watching this at the time. The whole crowd was cheering for him. It was a moment that brought everyone together to root for the same thing. Top five favorite Olympic moments for sure.

[@imluvinyourmum]

The news at the time said he trained in a river that was known to have crocs in it

[@the1greko]

I agree with you...i dont understand why that ass-hole says its funny!!

[@esisimp123456]

I am sorry if you feel Olympics is about being the best of the best. Fortunately Pierre de Coubertin though otherwise. "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." I just hope you know who Coubertin was.

[@BilliamCoronel]

When was the last time you did something knowing that your very, very best effort will probably be laughable? And then did it anyway IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD? That is courage.

[@MaraschinoMary1]

Billiam Coronel Sir, this is precisely what I needed to hear today. Short version of my long story: I'm a 55-year-old obese grandmother with way too many health problems, including lupus, that make movement difficult. In spite of all that, I'm a triathlete and long distance open water swimmer. Every doubt that tape of doubt plays in my head, yet every day I beat it back with my own strong beliefs in my ability to overcome challenges. And I remind myself, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, except for the people who believe in me. And someone like you, what you said, that's what helps me. My motto for the past five years, since I became an athlete, has been "Just do it anyway." I thank you.

[@Catubrannos]

+Billiam Coronel No, it's wasting everyone's time. It also shows incredible contempt for the games by all concerned. The Olympics isn't a have-a-go event, it's a place to showcase the world's best.

[@xDeadMedic]

+Mary Roach Loving this blog, glad I subbed.

[@fernandopires2841]

It was indeed unheralded courage. The father of the modern olympic games Baron de Coubertin said "participation is more important than winning". Unfortunatelly the olympic games nowadays have become tarnished by corruption and greed with a "win at all costs" attitude. Eric Moussambani is a REAL OLYMPIAN ! !

[@Catubrannos]

Fernando Pires No he's not, he's a below average swimmer that was allowed to avoid the usual minimum standards for competitors. Nothing courageous about doing a lap of the pool either and yes, the Olympics is about winning, otherwise it wouldn't be restricted to those who've already proven themselves to be worthy in their events. It's not about time wasters and social justice bs.

[@disobeytoday4685]

1:01 I love how they show the World Record time

[@VStrizzy]

He won the heat! this dude is fast as heck

[@JokerScribe]

Fuck man, even I'm faster. No joke either. :)

[@kingpin6989]

What heat? I blinked and missed it he was so fast.

[@blyat2477]

@@JokerScribe woooosh

[@HoshizakiYoshimasa]

We don't remember who actually won this event. But we certainly remember this guy. So at least there is that.........

[@Catubrannos]

+Mortskcab ...and Victorian era circus goers didn't remember half of what they saw but they remembered the bearded lady and the funny dwarf. This isn't inspirational, it's circus sideshow stuff. Two million people didn't watch this youtube clip to be inspired, they did so looking for cheap laughs. You want to promote sports in developing countries, send actual coaches and athletes to help them out; don't throw them into an international competition they're not ready for. We've seen the Afghani sprinter and the Saudi judoka with the same appalling results. If there aren't enough competitors then so what? You stick with your minimum standards and go with what you have. Wildcards are stupid.

[@serbdetritus182]

I think it kinda is inspirational to his countrymen. They'll look at him and go 'Shit, man, we gotta produce an actual athlete so we don't look like a total joke to everyone.' Also, you need moments like these. It has become too competitive maybe. People are going to great lengths in order to achieve a result, sometimes purposefully destroying their bodies and risking even death with doping and shit.

[@NyanyiC]

He was the only one racing in this heat so he won it

[@aaronbentley6373]

I bet he was faster than most people who watched this vid.

[@parisbrat]

He is much...and I cannot stress this enough...MUCH faster than I am.

[@corruptedcalculator703]

Lmao true

[@lennon3712]

Lmao and that is what you’re wrong

[@zvonko4012]

theres no way he is dude i was doing 1:42 when I was literally 9 years old I refuse to believe people are that unfit

[@definitionsupervillain4583]

I cant even do 50 meters without gassing out in the end of the pool lmao

[@ganfious]

In the end he still won an olympic 100m freestyle race, which is something many people haven't achieved, a true olympian carrying the spirit of inspiration "Im happy for you Eric the Eel!"

[@mitahaubica6498]

One of the best moments in the history of sport. I loved his modesty and enthusiasm for swimming. It is a good reminder that sports can be fun and that really winning isn’t the only thing.

[@kalebarancelovic]

If Eric had the ability to match his confidence, he'd win gold.

[@naiknaik8812]

He's a coach for the national team now

[@thelibrarian894]

This is one of the best moments in Olympic History. The show must go on, and that he did, I loved how he never gave up he made it to the end. This was a major lesson to all, good on him.

[@fazer990]

How can anyone be slating him or the Olympics for letting this man take part? He represented his country in the biggest sporting spectacle in the world, and he finished his race, knowing damn well he was going to finish with a time much longer than everyone else. Good on him. Probably one of the proudest days of his, and his families life.

[@lorepond]

I respect him so much! He was brave enough to swim in the Olympics you know, the best swimmers were there and though he didn't have a chance, he didn't give up.... he's an inspiration and why is that? Because he proved us that you do not quit when you have everything against you, you keep going! This is a true representation of the motto: "Citius, Altius, Fortius"... Faster, Higher, Stronger!

[@EscargoTouChaud]

The guy in studio is so negative. Eric is super cool!

[@yashvintackoory2893]

And shows much courage and determination to finish despite the fact that he never swam in such a long pool before.

[@rich.e]

Eric is exactly that. The other guy is former Olympic breast stroke gold medallist Adrian Moorhouse; he does the swimming commentary for BBC in the UK... he comes over a bit dry here but he's actually pretty good.

[@jacquelinebeason6264]

Yes, I agree!

[@MrX-tx9lo]

He is a bloody pommy bastard. Of course he would make fun and insult someone doing their best.

[@sylvesteruchia5263]

Fucking legend 🌟 🌟a regular Joe frikin won an Olympic heat 😂 😂 🌟 cool moment.

[@misswhyaname]

At least he tried and showed his country that he was there. He can now educate young children in his country that any dream is possible. For someone who learned how to swim in the same year it wasn't that bad but you can tell that maybe in his country they don't have all the expertise and facilities for him to properly practise because my guess is he would have been better then.

[@tombrodrick3372]

you're absolutely right because he brought his PB way down to under a minute for the 2004 games, but sadly there was a Visa error and he couldn't compete in Athens

[@weaponx100]

Embarrassing

[@wirikuta14]

Embarrassing.

[@flutist218]

He only had a hotel pool of about 13 meters to practice in. Also, limited hours. He was coached in the sea by fishermen. Not embarrassing, but inspirational. He got his time way down, and he is now coaching others in his country. www.olympic.org/news/eric-moussambani-sydney-2000-changed-my-life

[@nanananananere4724]

look at the video with french commentary, you don't have to speak french to understand ^^

[@dreskywalker]

I love Eric! He went on to help open pools and even coach swimming in his country. His comments at the end are priceless. Who cares how he performed after you hear it

[@krazygyal]

Every time I see this video, it cheers me up and gives me hope. It makes me feel that everything is possible in life.

[@LucasIsHereYT]

"I am feeling good, I am feeling happy!" Truer words have never been spoken, what a guy.

[@craighambo]

As an Australian I remember this vividly and the whole nation fell in love with his determination and defy the odds attitude,that there is the Olympic spirit.

[@petermckernan3661]

Lets face it that 1 min 50 plus swim is still faster than most people could do he was awesome in everyway

[@AusDenBergen]

Their mistake was that he's not a swimmer, he's a doctor and lawyer.

[@steelermia]

I was about to laugh .. but I'm not gonna laugh ... we should be applauding this fella .. he kept at it and didn't quit and finished .. that's what it's all about .. NEVER QUIT and keep fighting

[@kevinprior3549]

At least Eric took part and finished. All that was like winning a gold for him.

[@johnmurphy7674]

Both Eric Moussambani and Michael "Eddie The Eagle" Edwards are legends.

[@cjfrench5401]

What a legend, people mock him but he showed true courage and heart

[@MR-cq4eb]

He is faster than me and many others here. Respect to Eric, We love you

[@IcanbePsycho]

I remember watching this on telly, everyone was laughing and cheering him on, it was just so funny. Good on him for having a go. One of the best Olympic moments ever.

[@tetsuan25]

I remember watching this and my heart filled up with pride of hearing my Sydney siders giving him the biggest cheer ever.

[@pauldesborough6845]

God bless him. His great moment.

[@NickMaovich]

Whenever I hear my friends saying "I can't swim" I will send them this video. Truly an inspiration! Remember: whoever swims only 1 lap in a pool, swims infinite times more, than someone who doesn't swim at all!

[@ozzydo2314]

he learned to swim just months before this race. I think that's incredible. his parents should be proud.

[@joshbam]

How many people came here from "The daily show with Trevor Noah"?

[@jacquelynvoelkel1405]

guilty lol

[@andrewbrown9762]

the daily show educates me on the eel so inspirational

[@stealthattack2209]

Guilty lol

[@AbdulRahim-ve1qs]

lol

[@71603oneday]

That's why I am here...lol

[@alhamdulillah1571]

Islas de las tentaciones???

[@Gekosta]

Eric, you are a hero. I love your courage and your faith. Do you people know that he payed everything from his won pocket?? He did, the flight, the hotel stay. He has never swam in a pool because where he comes from, there are no pools. This man is a hero for me. A role model and a true sign of the olympics. It's not about winning, it's about competing. The losers are not the people that come in last, but the people that don't even try. Go Eric

[@cy310]

This vid makes me smile. Love his spirit. Where he's from, there was no swimming pool. So that game was the first time he ever swam in a proper pool. And the fact that he did not walk away when he knew he would not perform well is really inspiring to me. Sometimes when I lose guts to do something and want to give up or walk away, I come here to watch

[@Youaresofullofshite]

Love the fact he had a coach and manager with him :-)

[@sjcobra84]

To get to the Olympic stage alone is an achievement. A true swimming champion regardless

[@gazdagpeet954]

Long live Eric 🤘🤘🤘🤘 result is nothing, heart is everything! You have made history! A huge clap from me too! 👌👌👌👍

[@safariforfunofsoul7971]

Sydney 2000 was the last great Happy event before 9/11 it really was a fantastic fun friendly games - yes I was there but it was truly one of the absolute best ever the volunteers, the Cameroon underdog victory soocr Gold medal, Australian atmosphere, Humble Ian Thorpe - it was perfect Eric was the SHINING LIGHT of the Games - he was Sydneys Eddie The Eagle He SYMBOLISED what it was all about - being there and being your best and - he set a national record

[@CasimirdeHauteclocque]

He then broke the national record in 57 seconds. Do you have a video of this swim to see the improvement ?

[@neilsamples7952]

i wonder how many children from his country will have been inspired by his achievements and will represent their country in the future and during their gold medal winning speech will say Eric Moussambani was my inspiration...i wonder how many people on here who laughed at him have represented their country at the olympics?

[@NickyG_vz]

I doubt that many

[@flawlessgenius]

his country wont ever get a gold medal lol

[@LuiisLabra]

hey if I get a free pass to the Olympics I'll go too sure

[@backedupwithtruth7525]

God qualified him to be in Sydney. It wasn't man's doing. Who God blesses no man can curse. Moussambani is a legend and hero❣️💪🏾

[@benpinder889]

What a wonderful crowd supporting a legend

[@24h0peMC]

I love this! You go man!

[@joseesparza2364]

Who's here because of Franco?

[@miguel6021000]

I am

[@TheMickeyBloo]

I remember watching this as if it were yesterday. Even after all this time, it's stood out as being one of the most inspirational things I've seen in any sporting contest. I couldn't tell you anything else about the Olympics from that year. 🤷‍♂️

[@kc96pba]

This is the kind of video you watch at 2am with a tear in your eye, go Eric you absoute legend you will go down in history regardless the level of achievement he was out there doing it for those who weren't accounted for

[@BsophieeeB]

My favorite swimmer ever!

[@mermaidvonstarfish]

Why? Because the rest of us, i mean real swimmers, are not worth your admiration? I assume having zero time for a normal life and working out 24/7 is just ok but yea, being a random black guy hacking his way up to the olympics sounds like fancy stuff for a white girl. Do you know any other swimmer or anything about swimming at all, btw?

[@BsophieeeB]

Don't you have anything better to do than to start arguments on youtube?!

[@tengisgots]

yea u dumb little bitch

[@Nebukadnezzer]

Anyone who wonders whether this race was about whether "this level of Olympic performance" belongs at the Olympics is so blind that I genuinely feel bad for that person. Eric came from a country that barely had any swimming pools on a "participation ticket". Even so, he finished the race even though he had never seen an Olympic sized swimming pool in his entire life. He's a goddamn hero.

[@GyprockGypsy]

Man, that was a huge lap. I'd feel pretty good about myself too after doing that!

[@larryjohnson3087]

This IS the spirit of the Olympics. It's for all countries. It's for all people. He earned his spot there and SHOWED why he deserved to be there. Every country and he was his best.

[@balintvarady5160]

Deserved ? This guy almost drowned. He swim alone because the two idiot beside him can't even know the rules of the sport they supposed to compete in. F*ck, i swam a better time at 100 meters when i'm 15 years old.

[@perubased6880]

It wasn't so bad, he finished 5th.

[@TheBardeng]

he won his heat also

[@pebbleSesl]

Twelve months previously, Moussambani had been unable to swim and had yet to set foot outside his native country, the tiny oil-rich nation of Equatorial Guinea. Repressively governed then and now by Africa’s longest-serving ruler, the despotic president Teodoro Obiang, the per capita wealth of Equatorial Guinea exceeds that of the UK, but the majority of its 700,000 citizens are impoverished and forced to get by on less than one dollar a day. Five days before the race that would make him a household name, Moussambani arrived in Sydney with £50 spending money and enjoyed the honour of carrying the Equatorial Guinea flag in the opening ceremony of the Games. Despite the significant handicap of having been unable to swim eight months previously, he had gained entry to the Olympics via a wild-card scheme, since significantly scaled back, that was established to give athletes from developing countries the opportunity to compete. It was through the same scheme that Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards, then a plasterer, had been allowed to compete in the ski jump at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. His entry secured, Moussambani set about teaching himself to swim in the pool of a hotel in his home town of Malabo. Having mastered the basics and training alone without a coach, he had nobody to help him clock his efforts in a 20m pool that wasn’t even roped into lanes. To make matters worse, in the buildup to the Games, Moussambani had been mistakenly informed that he would be swimming only 50m and had trained accordingly. Upon his arrival in Sydney he was understandably alarmed to discover the discipline in which he was entered was twice that distance, a comparative test of endurance he had never even attempted.

[@oGaLaCTiCo]

all i can imagine is him going "the FUCK?!? 100m?!?"

[@chooseyourpoison5105]

@@oGaLaCTiCo Most people would take it a step further and go "The fuck? ... I'm not doing it then." He knew he'd never swum that distance. He knew the whole world would be watching. He knew he didn't have a hope in hell. And he got up there and did it anyway. Guy has balls of fucking steel

[@rich.e]

Thanks, Snezana, for the backstory, particularly interesting about the distance. I actually watched this live from my couch in London as I was going through one of fairly regular bouts of insomnia but being a sports lover, it wasn't too bad because the Olympics was being beamed live from the other side of the world! I don't really enjoy the swimming events to be honest but to be presented with a race that had only three starters certainly made me take notice and when the two swimmers false-started I was in an even further state of bewilderment. I remember thinking, oh this other guy's got it easy now only to stare in utter disbelief as Eric went through his struggles to complete the heat. But showing true spirit, the man achieved his goal and went down in history. What a moment for him, and for me too.

[@Littlevisser]

His story needs a movie now!

[@justinr9784]

God bless him. What a character. I love that he persevered and finished. Apparently he was so exhausted he passed out in the locker room later on. He's clearly very fit but hadn't had the opportunity to train properly. Great story though. Anyone else here from Qxir's video?

[@icemanbrfc]

One of THE greatest moments in Olympics history. Phenomenal stuff by Eric 🎉🥰

[@watchettv]

he won his heat, what have you done with your life??

[@watchettv]

Anne fuck off anne you bitch!

[@jonathanseiersen513]

Technically, he won a heat with two other competitors. Just saying.

[@Tech-49]

He won that heat fair and square. No arguing about that.

[@thisoldnew4544]

I bought a house, a zero turner, a motorcycle, a car and work on projects in my garage. It’s called accomplishing something that’s tangible

[@samovarmaker9673]

The Edie the Eagle of the the summer olympics

[@LYCJay]

He is the best swimming athlete I have ever seen He trained so much!

[@illitrait]

...the man faced what was clearly a personal challenge - and he went for it head on, for his country, in full glare of the world's media. Desire, grit, determination, drive, guts, pride. How many of his critics here have the balls to face what he faced? It is very easy to sneer in anonymity from behind a keyboard. Well done, Eric - thanks for the inspiration and memories.

[@isgakbrfc7090]

aah the keyboard warriors strike again. so maybe he shouldnt have been there, but he was courageous enough to go out there and complete the race. to him it was a moment he will never forget, for some people it was a joke. but nobody can take that moment away from him. personally i cheered him on, and hoped that he did not stop, he didnt, he completed it. well done Eric.

[@carlavillaseca6155]

Vengo del debate de la isla🤣

[@weshcap5191]

rt jajajja

[@MiaMia-qc6ci]

At the end he said"I'm feeling good, I am happy" . Just wow!

[@moonglow630]

This is what I live for in the Olympics!!!

[@albahmo5073]

for most people, he is a loser but he is a man with a great dream for his country. Thumbs up ☺

[@SurgStriker]

a dream to embarrass his country in front of the world? "I am the best swimmer my country has to offer! Please, never let there be a flood or we will all die"

[@i_m_p_u_l_s_e_]

Actually he was, there was no olympic pools in his country, for him to practice.

[@mermaidvonstarfish]

Wrong, most people are being implicitily instructed to like the guy here cause "he's different", now that's kinda racist i think. At the same time, i find this charade highly disrespectful of all of us swimmers, white, black, purple, whatever. There are thousands swimming faster and better than that dude, they wake up at 4 in the morning to work out hard since they are 9 or so. The guy made it to the olympics after like 6-9 months training in a lake, with terrible times and all. Thumbs up to all the fellow athletes doing an amazing job and dying without having a chance to get to the olympics because rules work at convenience. Or should i change my passport to "South Pole" so i'm the only competitor and i'm entitled to partecipate?

[@ragnarokio2390]

People who train from the age of 9 are presumably blessed with local training facilities, free time to train, and proper coverage of "basic needs" to support their health/livelihood while they train. They're innately advantaged because of the situation they were born into. Encouraging competitive swimming among less advantaged groups of people is important for the long-term health of competitive swimming. The purpose of inviting people from countries that don't really swim is to raise interest in swimming in those areas, and as the guy is currently a coach in his home country now its probably working to some degree. I agree that using the olympics for that sort of thing is potentially contradictory to the olympic spirit though. There's definitely a lot of possible perspectives to take.

[@TheWeekendWarrior490]

@@mermaidvonstarfish Well your swimmer mates had false starts so they couldn't even compete. So much for all that training and discipline.

[@t-pred6t0r14]

good for him!! he should be proud, he represented his country doing something he loved.

[@jonslg240]

Haha this guy making it to the Olympics is one thing, but him WINNING the first heat is the best most hilarious thing I've seen in awhile

[@d.latello3580]

I give this guy a lot of respect. At the Olympics, how you represent your country is just as important as winning. He gave it his all and in doing so he did a fine job representing his representing his country. Congrats to him.

[@rockerseven]

Something to think about. This was Heat 1. Which means after this race, he was leading!

[@asantos3129]

The narrator should just shut up. Looks like he's the best man. Eric done superb

[@anonymoussecret5948]

What’s even crazier is that this guy is quite fit. Like well above average, even if his technique is poor. I think his performance is a good way of measuring yourself to an Olympic champion and contextualizing how insanely good at their sport the champs are

[@ticklephobian]

because he started swimming 6 months before the olympics and practiced in a 20m pool. this guy was courageous enough to go out and compete with the best, with the whole world watching, knowing full well that he wasnt anywhere near their standards. that takes some seriously guts and awesome spirit.

[@dipyaman93]

the daily show brought me here

[@fernandocorredoiravazquez6481]

the wikipedia brought me

[@derby1884]

Well, he's still about 5 minutes faster than me! It's a shame the Olympics take themselves so seriously and have decided that the honour of appearing is very definitely of secondary importance.

[@petergriffin7598]

It's the olympics, not a fucking local turkey trot. It's a place to find out who is the WORLD'S BEST, to showcase the peak human athletic ability. Fuck off

[@lucarockteca2001]

what a great moment of true sport! respect !

[@georgevandiemen9835]

Eric seriously tried. This honors him absolutely regardless of the results. This is what mankind is about. To swim as no one had swom before... 👍👍👍

[@hulidoshi]

The interviewee asked whether this is the type of performance we want to see in the Olympics. To which I say: HELL YES! Sometimes - often, maybe - these kinds of stories are more representative of the Olympic spirit than athletes with all the advantages in the world

[@calebhu6383]

He eventually cut his 100m time down by one minute. That shows real dedication.

[@mustakimkamaruzaman4396]

It's an amazing great race swim Olympic Sydney 2000 by him who don't get in any competition in his life..He will call a "People Champion".. For anyone who just can swim but before never entered any competition even the competition between school in the country I see it it's an amazing for him

[@samuelbarrios3771]

Gracias Franco por contarnos esta historia

[@aitaiscam2097]

Inch3 franco me trajiste Aqui ❤️🤣😂

[@davidharman24]

funny can also mean strange or difficult to explain i doubt he meant it it was so hilarious to watch this guy struggle to swim

[@andrewgibney327]

I was looking for this for years fair play to him but I was in stitches laughing 😂😂😂😂🤣 wat a mental story yup the eric

[@Scandilady]

Mr Eric, well done, super!

[@andrewyuen9599]

good job eric. ur great at swimming;)

[@ameersamy1199]

*you're

[@andrewyuen9599]

Ameer Samy Hey, do you know what is so funny? I don't give a crap.

[@Keepit500hunit]

Franco Escamilla brought me here lol

[@kkatjanet]

aw this is so inspiring, i want to cry

[@corruptedcalculator703]

I love the support