Eric Moussambani: An Olympic miracle
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics officially ended on August 8. After 16 months of delays and uncertainties due to COVID-19, the 2020 games succeeded in providing a story of resilience. Facing the challenges posed by the virus, the Olympic team has proposed a well-designed epidemic prevention to protect the safety of the athletes. Although audiences were not allowed in the stadium, the athletes still committed all their energy to the games and provided outstanding performances, which is indeed a representative example of the Olympic spirit –– to “inspire and motivate the youth of the world to be the best they can be through challenges.” The spirit can be found in every one of the athletes, including Eric Moussambani, a participant of the 2000 Sydney Olympics who made the worst record of 100 meters freestyle swimming.
Moussambani comes from the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, a small African country with a population of 600,000 people. The Sydney Olympics was the country’s fifth appearance since their debut at the 1984 games. Before 2000, no one from Guinea ever participated in swimming competitions. Moussambani qualified for the game through wildcards, which was provided by the International Olympic Committee and was used to support developing countries.
There were 8 months left for Moussambani to learn how to swim before the games started. In a hotel swimming pool with a length of 13 meters and a fisherman as his coach, what Moussambani had for preparation fell far short of Olympic level. When he practiced in the lake, he learned how to coordinate his arms and legs to prevent himself from sinking. Throughout the process, the biggest question Moussambani faced was if he could actually finish the two laps race.
Finally, after 8 months of learning and practicing, Moussambani and three other athletes from Equatorial Guinea arrived at Sydney. This was the first time Moussambani saw a 50-meters-long swimming pool placed in a stadium with a capacity of 17,500 spectators. He was impressed and even scared by the gigantic pool. Moussambani later told the journalist that he thought he wouldn't be able to finish the race. The truth is, he had no knowledge and experience of how to start or dive. Most importantly, the officials of his team told him that the race would be 50 meters long, but it was actually 100 meters freestyle swimming, which was doubled the length that he practiced. During the last few days before the race, Moussambani tried to learn from observing other swimmers practicing. However, he had never succeeded in completing a full 100 meters freestyle swim.
On the morning of day four, Moussambani stood alone on the blocks and waited for the starter’s signal. He was scheduled to swim alongside two athletes, one from Nigeria and another from Tajikistan. The two athletes were disqualified because of falling off the starting block a fraction early, ultimately resulting in Moussambani swimming alone.
“I was so scared the people were going to laugh at me.” Moussambani said, explaining his nervousness. “But something came in my mind that I could do it.”
Following the starter’s signal, Moussambani had maintained a consistent speed in the first lap. However, the cracking speed didn’t last long, he soon grew tired and soured. Moussambani struggled in paddling his legs and his movements became uncoordinated. He said afterwards that “I couldn’t feel my arms and legs, everything was very heavy.” In the last 25 meters, he slowed down to an almost stationary crawl. The writer of Times of London Craig Lord described that “Eric looked like he was caught in a riptide.” Nevertheless, Moussambani did not waiver. All the spectators were cheering for him, watching him slowly approach the end. The final time was 1:52.72, the slowest record of 100 meters freestyle in Olympic history.
Ian Thorpe, who specialized in freestyle swimming, told the journalist: “This is the real Olympic spirit.”
After the game, Moussambani went back to the Olympic village and slept from 11 am to 4 pm. When he woke up, he saw the television broadcasting him. The first impression he got was that he did something wrong. Then, he realized that he was famous. People in the restaurant began to ask him for a signature and Moussambani was also given a chance to surf at Australia’s most famous beach. His name is still mentioned after 21 years.
Six years after the Sydney Olympics, Moussambani said he could do 100 meters freestyle in 52.18 seconds, which is more than a minute faster than his result in the Sydney Olympic games. Now, Moussambani has four sons and he is currently working at a petroleum company while coaching the national swimming team of Equatorial Guinea. Because of his achievements, Equatorial Guinea had built two Olympic-sized swimming pools. Moussambani compared the training conditions of his students now to twenty years ago: “Our swimmers have an opportunity to swim in a pool now, so when they go to an Olympic Games they won’t be scared like I was.”
Moussambani’s determination allowed him to overcome the poor conditions when training. He never backed off from the problems brought by the disadvantages in technique and equipment and persisted with his dreams. His valuable qualities made him a representative of the Olympic spirit, attracting the spectators’ applause. After all, Moussambani showed that he did not only compete for the medal, but also for the love of sport.