September 19, 2000

10:48 PM

Equatorial Guinea has a new swimming star: 22-year-old Eric Moussambani. He won his heat in the 100m freestyle, despite never having learned how to swim at all until January, and having never even raced more than 50m before this race. His winning time: 1:52.72. Since that's about a minute more than it takes most Olympians, it should be noted here that his two competitors had been disqualified for false states, so he had the pool to himself. You really need to see the video of him "swimming" to believe it. But it's obvious that Sydney now has its own Eddie "the Eagle" Edwards!
posted by aaron (8 comments total)

I can't swim.

He atleast stayed afloat. More power to him!
posted by tamim at 11:44 PM on September 19, 2000

He even has one of those bodysuits now. He along with those with the athletes from East Timor reminds what the Olympics is all about, competing.
posted by jay at 11:55 PM on September 19, 2000

Apparently, the only reason Moussambani had to swim in the 100m freestyle was because of a requirement that was imposed on his country to have representation? I'm not very clear as to its validity, having only heard this from a friend's mouth.

Maybe I should start watching the Olympics; I haven't thus far. Then again, maybe not. *Shrug*
posted by evilmaryellen at 12:09 AM on September 20, 2000

i love this guy!

``I didn't know why he was going to those games,'' [his mother] said from her Malabo home. ``My boy went to training -- I think that's what they called it -- every day. He would come home all cold and stuffy every day but he wouldn't leave it. He got more and more interested in swimming. That was good because he already quit soccer, then he quit basketball. Then he started to run and he quit that too. He didn't use to really care for swimming except for on the beach a bit,'' she said. ``I thought he mostly wanted to see Sydney.''

posted by palegirl at 1:05 AM on September 20, 2000

Whilst reading this tale of Olympic triumph, the only thing I could visualize was a big picture of Mahir flopping around the pool. The man's quotes at the end had a familiar..."I'm an Olympian...I KISS YOU!!!" sound to them.

I'd like to be in the Olympics, solely for the ability to voice my Mahir "shoutouts" to my "peeps."
posted by Hankins at 6:12 AM on September 20, 2000

Dang and blast it, I missed it. Is the video available anywhere online? I couldn't for the life of me see anything on BBC.
posted by holloway at 8:16 AM on September 20, 2000

The NBC coverage of this event was disconcerting, elitist, and jingoistic. I wish I had a video link of this to show you.

Two commentators were discussing the athletes who "didn't stand a chance" of winning a medal.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 11:04 AM on September 20, 2000

Apparently, the only reason Moussambani had to swim in the 100m freestyle was because of a requirement that was imposed on his country to have representation?

That, and one of the few progressive things that the IOC has implemented: a relaxation of qualification standards in order to ensure smaller countries are represented.

As for NBC: I prefer Bill Bryson's take on it, given that many American sports writers regard international competition as a game against the Maple Leafs.
posted by holgate at 11:19 AM on September 20, 2000