The coach also saw him wearing a pair of Bermuda shorts that he’d bought at a second-hand shop and gave him a proper swim brief and goggles, telling Moussambani that his outfit was not regulation and that he’d be disqualified.ĭue to the extra help, Moussambani felt a bit more confident going into his race. A South African coach, who first double-checked that Moussambani was an athlete competing at the Games, worked with him to improve his approach. Some would ignore him, but others lent a helping hand. He also would go around asking other swimmers and trainers for advice. In the days leading up to the event, Moussambani trained simultaneously as the American swim team, which allowed him to study their techniques. The swimming pool was so big that Moussambani said he was was “so scared” to compete in it, feeling as if it was much too big compared to what he was used to. In Sydney, Moussambani saw an Olympic-size swimming pool for the first time, with the pool at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre being 50 meters. In his first time leaving his country, it took about three days and several layovers for Moussambani to travel from Equatorial Guinea to Australia. Eric Moussambani’s trip to the Olympics was the first time he ever left his country On days he could not use the pool, he trained in rivers and the Atlantic Ocean, with the local fisherman guiding him on how to use his legs and arms to stay afloat.Īfter about eight months of swimming, he gained entry into the 2000 Summer Olympics through a program where the IOC gives several sport governing bodies’ wildcards’ to developing nations to promote their respective sport further. Living in such a football-crazed country, it was difficult for Moussambani to find a place to train consistently.Įventually, he found a 13-meter sized hotel pool that he only had access to three hours a week. Unfortunately, he found difficulty gaining access to swimming pools that he could use to learn how to swim.Įuropean football, a sport introduced to Equatorial Guinea by the Spanish colonists who inhabited the country for 190 years, is far and away the most popular sport in Moussambani’s home country. At the time, he did not know how to swim, but he knew that it was a sport that he wanted to pursue. ![]() The Equatoguinean found his passion for swimming shortly after high school. It took one minute and fifty-two seconds for Eric Moussambani to go from an unknown athlete to a Sydney Olympics cult hero. ![]() Just look at the story of swimmer Eric Moussambani. The Olympic spirit is about a lot more than winning medals and setting records. By Yara El-Shaboury 1 year ago Follow Tweet
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