Eric Moussambani

Eric Moussambani, born on May 31, 1978, is an Equatoguinean swimmer who captured the world's attention during the 2000 Summer Olympics. Nicknamed 'Eric the Eel' by the media, Moussambani's journey to fame was marked by an extraordinary and unlikely victory in the 100 metre freestyle event.

On September 19, 2000, Moussambani competed in a heat where he faced significant challenges, having never seen an Olympic-sized swimming pool before. Despite finishing with a time of 1:52.72, the slowest in Olympic history, he triumphed in his heat after both of his competitors were disqualified for false starts. This remarkable feat, although not enough to advance him to the next round, allowed him to set a new personal best and establish a national record for Equatorial Guinea.

Over the years, Moussambani continued to improve his performance, eventually lowering his national record to fifty-seven seconds, nearly halving his Olympic time. His dedication to the sport led him to become the coach of the national swimming squad of Equatorial Guinea, where he inspired a new generation of swimmers.

In 2006, Moussambani achieved a personal best of fifty-two point eighteen seconds at a meet in Germany, showcasing his remarkable progress as an athlete. This time was more than sixty seconds faster than his Olympic performance and only five point seventy-eight seconds behind the world record set by Pan Zhanle at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.