| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Eric Moussambani Malonga |
| Born | (1978-05-31)31 May 1978 (age 47) Malabo, Equatorial Guinea |
| Sport | |
| Country | Equatorial Guinea |
| Sport | Swimming |
Events | |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personalbests |
|
Eric Moussambani Malonga (born 31 May 1978) is anEquatoguineanswimmer. NicknamedEric the Eel by the media, Moussambani gained brief international fame at the2000 Summer Olympics for an extremely unlikely victory. Moussambani, who had never seen an Olympic-sized (50 meters) swimming pool before, swam his heat of the100 m freestyle on 19 September in a time of 1:52.72.[1] This was the slowest time in Olympic history by far, and Moussambani had trouble finishing the race, but he won his heat after both his competitors were disqualified due to false starts. Although Moussambani's time was still too slow to advance to the next round, he set a new personal best and an Equatoguinean national record.[2] Moussambani eventually lowered his national record to 57 seconds, half the time of his Olympic race. He later became the coach of the national swimming squad ofEquatorial Guinea.[3]
In 2006, Moussambani achieved his personal best for the 100m of 52.18 at a meet in Germany, more than 60 seconds faster than his 2000 Olympic race and 4.34 seconds behind the world record of 47.84, unchanged at the time sincePieter van den Hoogenband set it at the same Olympics.
Moussambani gained entry to the Olympics without meeting the minimum qualification requirements via awildcard draw designed to encourage participation bydeveloping countries lacking full training facilities.Pieter van den Hoogenband won in a time of 48.30 seconds (setting a world record of 47.84 in the semi-finals); Moussambani took more than twice that time to finish (1:52.72). "The last 15 metres were very difficult", Moussambani said.[4] Because the other two swimmers in his heat made false starts and were thus disqualified, he won the heat unopposed.[5]
Before coming to the Olympics, Moussambani had never seen a 50-metre-long (160 ft)Olympic-size swimming pool. He took up swimming eight months before the Olympics and had practiced in a lake, and later a 12-metre-long (39 ft) swimming pool in a hotel inMalabo,[6] that he was given access to only between 5 and 6 am.[7]
Moussambani's performance generated spectator and media interest inPaula Barila Bolopa, the only other Equatoguinean swimmer at the2000 Summer Olympics. Bolopa competed in the women's 50 metres freestyle event, struggling to finish the race with a time of 1:03.97. In setting a record for the slowest time in Olympic history for that event, she also achieved major celebrity status.[8][9]
In 2001, Moussambani competed inthe 50 metres freestyle at the 2001 World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka, Japan, finishing 88th out of 92 athletes. He set a new Equatorial Guinean record for the distance. He was the first male athlete in the nation's history ever to participate in the event.[10]
Despite eventually lowering his personal best in the 100 metres freestyle to under 57 seconds,[11] Moussambani was denied entry into the2004 Olympic Games due to avisa bungle.[12] He did not take part in the2008 Summer Olympics.[13] In March 2012 he was appointed coach of the national swimming squad of Equatorial Guinea.[14]
Some other athletes at the 2000 Olympics were compared to Moussambani, withSports Illustrated compiling a list of "Worst Performances by Non-Equatorial Guineans" that includedMariana Canillas,Eka Purnama Indah,Martinho de Araujo,Sirivanh Ketavong, andJean Patrick Aladd Sahajasein.[15]
In subsequent Olympic Games, international media occasionally referred to Moussambani's potential successors—athletes who might record poor times. Before the2008 Summer Olympics, media in several countries—including Australia, Denmark, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom—suggested thatStany Kempompo Ngangola, a swimmer from DR Congo, would be the Olympics' next "Eric the Eel".[16][17][18][19][20] The media also described ni-Vanuatu sprinterElis Lapenmal and Palestinian swimmerHamza Abdu as "potential successors to Moussambani".[21] During the Games,Cook Islands swimmerPetero Okotai compared himself to "Eric the Eel" upon recording a disappointing time in his event.[22] In the 2016 Olympic Games,Ethiopian swimmerRobel Habte was dubbed "Robel the Whale" after finishing half a lap behind his competitors in the 100-metre freestyle.[23]
During the2009 IAAF World Championships, various media around the world, includingLa Nación andThe Daily Telegraph, describedAmerican Samoan sprinterSavannah Sanitoa as "the new Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani".[24][25]London 2012 Olympic rowerHamadou Djibo Issaka of Niger was compared to Moussambani for his times of 8:25.56 in themen's single sculls qualifying heat and 9:07.99 in the E Semi-finals.[26][27] Both times were over a minute off the next closest competitor in each race. Moussambani's exploits also triggered comparisons to the1988 Winter Olympics, when both British ski-jumperEddie the Eagle and theJamaican bobsled team became objects of interest and amusement due to their improbable participation in their sports.
Moussambani would plough a lonely lane for his finest 1mins 52.7 sec, though it felt like an hour. Equatorial Guinea's aquatic answer to Eddie the Eagle – Eric the Eel – churned the lane in which Ian Thorpe had raced to a silver medal in 1 min 45 sec over double the distance the day before.
Despite cutting his personal best for the 100m from 1 minute 52.72 seconds in Sydney to under 57s today, a sponsorless, near-broke Moussambani fears that failure to compete in Athens will force him into retirement.
Eric 'the Eel' Moussambani's chances of competing at the Athens Olympics have been scuppered by problems over his application form. Officials were unable to locate his passport photograph, preventing him from competing for Equatorial Guinea.
| Olympic Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Flagbearer for Equatorial GuineaSydney 2000 | Succeeded by |