How 'Eric the Eel' overcame a near-drowning experience to become an Olympic symbol of perseverance

The ongoing Paris Olympics have seen a plethora of inspiring developments, and this incident from the 2000 Sydney Olympics surpasses almost all when it comes to examples of perseverance and determination.

X

Only man to show up for trials

It all began when Equatorial Guinea called for athletes to join its squad for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and a 22-year-old with little swimming experience, Eric Moussambani, rose to the occasion. Better known as "Eric the Eel", he made the team by default¡ªhe was the only man to show up for the swimming trials, alongside Paula Barila Bolopa, who competed in the women's category.

The Olympic swimmer who didn't even know how to swim
byu/G0ATzzz ininterestingasfuck

The challenge Eric faced was monumental. He didn¡¯t know how to swim properly, and Equatorial Guinea lacked adequate training facilities. Reflecting on his journey, Eric shared, ¡°I started swimming when I left school. We didn¡¯t have a swimming pool.¡± His only option was to practise in a small hotel swimming pool, only 13 metres long, which he had access to for only one hour each morning, from 5 to 6 am. This means he could only train three hours a week. Without a coach, Eric had to rely on self-training. ¡°I trained on my own and I had no swimming experience,¡± he said.

Got advice from local fishermen

To supplement his limited pool time, Eric practised in rivers and the sea, with local fishermen offering him advice. ¡°The fishermen would tell me how to use my legs and how to swim. There was nothing professional about it at all,¡± he recalled.

Despite these obstacles, Eric arrived in Sydney, having never swum in a full-sized Olympic pool. ¡°I was scared by the sight of the first pool I¡¯d be racing in,¡± he admitted. When he finally stepped onto the Olympic stage, Eric didn¡¯t even have proper swimwear; he borrowed a pair of trunks from the South African coach.

In an unexpected turn of events, the two remaining athletes in the same heat as him were eliminated, leaving Eric alone on the track. As he swam the 100 metres, the crowd cheered him on, especially as he struggled to continue in the second leg, even holding on to the lane rope to avoid sinking. Determined to finish, he remembered his loved ones watching and pushed through. ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about the time. All I wanted to do was finish,¡± he said.

Also Read: Is it her real voice? Olympic fans surprised by Dutch champion Femke Bol's 'Mickey Mouse' voice

X

Also Read: Revealed! The surprising content of the Paris 2024 Olympic champions' medal boxes

Eric¡¯s time of 1:52 was far from record-breaking, but his spirit was unshaken. He continued training and eventually improved his time to 57 seconds¡ªwhich is fast enough to have won gold in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Today, Eric is the coach for Equatorial Guinea¡¯s swimming team, and thanks to his inspiring journey, the country now has two full-sized Olympic pools.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.