What was the worst performance in Olympic history? Meet Eric Moussambani, a swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who arrived at the Sydney Games with minimal experience.
This is a man who had never seen an Olympic-sized pool until he got to Australia.
In fact, he learned to swim just eight months before the Games, practicing in a hotel pool that was only about 20 meters long.
His training involved dodging hotel guests doing their morning laps.
Thanks to a wildcard entry system designed to promote wider participation, Eric qualified despite his lack of experience.
On race day, Eric stood on the blocks with two other competitors, who both false-started and were disqualified, leaving Eric to swim alone.
As he dived in, it was evident this wouldn’t be a record-breaking performance. His technique resembled more of a flail than freestyle, and by the halfway mark, it seemed he might not finish.
The crowd, initially puzzled, began to cheer him on.
Eric completed the race in 1:52.72, a time slower than the world record for the 200m freestyle. For context, the winner of the 100m freestyle that year, Pieter van den Hoogenband, finished in 48.30 seconds.
Despite everything, he didn’t quit.
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