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.
@@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!.
@@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.
@@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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 RUclips. 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.
+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!
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.
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!
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.
@@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
@@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.
@@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.
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
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
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.
@@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.
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
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...
@@AltihaSolomon-t8w 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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!"
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.
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.
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.
+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.
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 ! !
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
...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.
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.
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
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
+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.
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.
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!
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. 🤷♂️
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
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
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
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?
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.
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.
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
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 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
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.
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?
4 years later Eric Moussambani swam a 56.9. For example, that was faster than the world record prior to 1934 and only 10 seconds slower than the current world record.
And four years after that he is the swimming coach for his country's first ever national swimming team, and also runs a swimming education program teaching kids in remote villages how to swim, to combat his country's high drowning rate. Eric is a legend.
Imagine what we humans would be capable of if all nations would combine forces and cooperate in tackling our problems, achieving our goals, everyone pulling in the same direction and helping each other. And this Eric Moussambani does deserve a prize, not for his inefficiency, but for his big heart, his will to give it his very best shot, for his persistence. Did you know, that he learned to swim only 8months before going to the olympics?It is this attitude,not egotism, that brings progress.
@@littlecatfeet9064 you have no idea what you're talking about. and this is exactly the point I am making. It's someone's daughter and someone's mother. wake up to yourself
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.
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
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
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.
Kudos to Eric! This is a great example of determination and giving it your all no matter the challenges or difficulties. He practiced the best way he could and his positive attitude helped him adapt and saw him through to the end of the challenge. As many comments have stated, those are the traits of a hero! Well done my friend! 👏🏽
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.
Is it just me, or is every video with actual footage of this guy swimming "unavailable" if you're watching from Australia? Seriously, if you have a VPN give it a try.
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?
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.
big heart. Most people wouldn't have a gut to be in Olympic standing among top athletes just be feel ashamed. This man didn't back off. He learned. He lived the moment. He deserves a huge respect.
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.
ok thats a great feel
good story, but not for the olympics, thats for an after school special!
@@CIF-pm7tk All thess people in the Olympics would disagree with you
@@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!.
@@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.
!!!!
His interview at that end "I'm feeling good, I am happy" - incredible how it meant so much to him
5 years, and I'm your first reply
@@LasayRedJr And so you are :) 5 years for one reply!
@@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.
You skip your complex thoughts when speaking a language you don't know well.
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.
You missed the point.
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.
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.
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.
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 RUclips. 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.
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
In the real world, "showing heart" is no excuse for failure.
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
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.
kilmindaro3 Sports aren't the "real" world they are grown men playing games.
+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!
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.
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!
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.
@@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
@@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.
@@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.
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
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
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.
@@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.
Muahahahaahaha
"It's not about winning, it's about not drowning"
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
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...
Pure class Australia 🤘
Apparently this video doesn't do the roar of the crowd justice.
Raygun
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
He won though
@@dwaynethemineraljohnson412 he won in his heat but not the event
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...
@@AltihaSolomon-t8w 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
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.
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.
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.
The news at the time said he trained in a river that was known to have crocs in it
I agree with you...i dont understand why that ass-hole says its funny!!
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.
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.
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.
Love that attitude and I am in tota agreement with you. One of the most beautiful experiences in the Olympics
Imagine being one of the many swimmers failing to get on their national team and then seeing this later.
Amazing story!
the crowd represented the overall spirit way better than that dick of a commentator. I happy for impact on EG :)
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!"
To win a 100m freestyle with nobody else even visible on the screen is simply amazing. GOAT
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.
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.
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.
+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.
+Mary Roach
Loving this blog, glad I subbed.
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 ! !
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.
Not laughable at all, he did his absolute best and deserves all the respect
Aww, I bet you got lots of participation trophies as a child
@@TheVoiceInYourHeadd shut up you bum
who is laughing?
He won the heat! this dude is fast as heck
Fuck man, even I'm faster. No joke either. :)
What heat? I blinked and missed it he was so fast.
@@JokerScribe woooosh
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.
1:01 I love how they show the World Record time
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.
"I am feeling good, I am feeling happy!"
Truer words have never been spoken, what a guy.
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!
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
If Eric had the ability to match his confidence, he'd win gold.
He's a coach for the national team now
Every time I see this video, it cheers me up and gives me hope. It makes me feel that everything is possible in life.
He is faster than me and many others here. Respect to Eric, We love you
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.
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
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
What a legend, people mock him but he showed true courage and heart
Lets face it that 1 min 50 plus swim is still faster than most people could do he was awesome in everyway
He's won more Olympic races than I ever will 👏👏👏👏
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.
The guy in studio is so negative. Eric is super cool!
And shows much courage and determination to finish despite the fact that he never swam in such a long pool before.
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.
Yes, I agree!
He is a bloody pommy bastard. Of course he would make fun and insult someone doing their best.
Fucking legend 🌟 🌟a regular Joe frikin won an Olympic heat 😂 😂 🌟 cool moment.
I remember watching this and my heart filled up with pride of hearing my Sydney siders giving him the biggest cheer ever.
...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.
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.
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
Embarrassing
Embarrassing.
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
look at the video with french commentary, you don't have to speak french to understand ^^
I bet he was faster than most people who watched this vid.
He is much...and I cannot stress this enough...MUCH faster than I am.
Lmao true
Lmao and that is what you’re wrong
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
I cant even do 50 meters without gassing out in the end of the pool lmao
We don't remember who actually won this event. But we certainly remember this guy. So at least there is that.........
+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.
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.
He was the only one racing in this heat so he won it
Swimming fans remember it was won by Dutch legend Pieter Van den Hoogenband. His world record of 47.84 stood for 8 years until supersuits came along.
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!
Both Eric Moussambani and Michael "Eddie The Eagle" Edwards are legends.
At least Eric took part and finished. All that was like winning a gold for him.
he learned to swim just months before this race. I think that's incredible. his parents should be proud.
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. 🤷♂️
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
Doesn't matter if you are late or behind in something .. What matters is to keep going till you reach the goal.
‘ Never give up “that’s best meaning for Olympic Spirit, one and only video with inspiration
God bless him. His great moment.
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
Their mistake was that he's not a swimmer, he's a doctor and lawyer.
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
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?
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
He is the best swimming athlete I have ever seen
He trained so much!
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.
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.
Inch3 franco me trajiste Aqui ❤️🤣😂
Gracias Franco por contarnos esta historia
He then broke the national record in 57 seconds. Do you have a video of this swim to see the improvement ?
Long live Eric 🤘🤘🤘🤘 result is nothing, heart is everything! You have made history! A huge clap from me too! 👌👌👌👍
To get to the Olympic stage alone is an achievement. A true swimming champion regardless
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
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.
all i can imagine is him going "the FUCK?!? 100m?!?"
@@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
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.
His story needs a movie now!
He didn't even have a bathing suit when he showed up! another country's coach helped him
He did not cheat. Many do. He did not have a sleek costume. Most do. He had a heart. Most don't. He gave it all. Kudos ! 😊🤗🤗
My favorite swimmer ever!
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?
Don't you have anything better to do than to start arguments on youtube?!
yea u dumb little bitch
One of THE greatest moments in Olympics history. Phenomenal stuff by Eric 🎉🥰
Islas de las tentaciones???
Trying to look for some replays during the Paris Olympics and came across this. Classic moment i remember seeing this back in primary school
4 years later Eric Moussambani swam a 56.9.
For example, that was faster than the world record prior to 1934 and only 10 seconds slower than the current world record.
And four years after that he is the swimming coach for his country's first ever national swimming team, and also runs a swimming education program teaching kids in remote villages how to swim, to combat his country's high drowning rate. Eric is a legend.
Imagine what we humans would be capable of if all nations would combine forces and cooperate in tackling our problems, achieving our goals, everyone pulling in the same direction and helping each other.
And this Eric Moussambani does deserve a prize, not for his inefficiency, but for his big heart, his will to give it his very best shot, for his persistence. Did you know, that he learned to swim only 8months before going to the olympics?It is this attitude,not egotism, that brings progress.
Love the fact he had a coach and manager with him :-)
What a wonderful crowd supporting a legend
To those who come back here. Look at how the online community treats RayGun and recognise how times have changed. Where has the love and respect gone
She cynically took a spot from another woman and had plenty of resources to develop. He did the absolute best he could from a poor country.
@littlecatfeet9064 I'll say it again. Where has the love and respect gone.
She didn’t even try
@@michaellamb134 Where was her love and respect for others?
@@littlecatfeet9064 you have no idea what you're talking about. and this is exactly the point I am making. It's someone's daughter and someone's mother. wake up to yourself
I can’t believe the words coming out of this guys mouth! Well done Eric! You did better than most of us could!
I love this! You go man!
All these years later and I still remember screaming and cheering for him in my living room
good for him!! he should be proud, he represented his country doing something he loved.
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.
The Edie the Eagle of the the summer olympics
I am very proud of Eric, he not only had the courage to finish the race he now promotes swimming for his country.
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
This is quite beautiful. No matter how little you have going for you, just keep trying. My motto in life.
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
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.
Kudos to Eric! This is a great example of determination and giving it your all no matter the challenges or difficulties. He practiced the best way he could and his positive attitude helped him adapt and saw him through to the end of the challenge. As many comments have stated, those are the traits of a hero! Well done my friend! 👏🏽
RayGun brought me here.
I just learned of this story today 9/5/23 on Instagram. Touched my heart I came to RUclips to learn more. ❤
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.
Massive respect for Eric!
Qxir brought me here :)
Me too Qxir is a great youtuber!
Is it just me, or is every video with actual footage of this guy swimming "unavailable" if you're watching from Australia? Seriously, if you have a VPN give it a try.
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?
I doubt that many
his country wont ever get a gold medal lol
hey if I get a free pass to the Olympics I'll go too sure
He is an inspiration ❤
Bring him back for the break dancing!
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❣️💪🏾
estoy aqui por fracon escamilla
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.
It wasn't so bad, he finished 5th.
he won his heat also
big heart. Most people wouldn't have a gut to be in Olympic standing among top athletes just be feel ashamed. This man didn't back off. He learned. He lived the moment. He deserves a huge respect.
I'm proud of eric.