Eric the Eel Home > Events > Olympics > Summer > Competitors > Eric the Eel Eric "the Eel" Moussambani At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, Swimmer Eric Moussambani made quite a splash. Eric was from Equatorial Guinea, not a place known for swimming. Eric soon became well known by his nickname "the Eel". The worldwide audience embraced this poor swimmer, not because he was any good, but because he embodied the spirit of the Games, which is about taking part and doing your best. In his heat of the 100m freestyle event, there were only two other competitors, but they were disqualified for jumping the starter's gun. This left Eric to race in the pool all by himself. Eric took 112.72 seconds, the slowest time recorded, about a minute more than the next slowest competitor, and more than twice as long as Pieter van den Hoogenband's gold-winning performance.

Share: Eric Moussambani - Everything2.com Eric Moussambani Sun Jun 01 2008 at 9:19:19 Unlikely Sporting Heroes: "Eric the Eel" Eric "the Eel" Moussambani, b. 1978-05-31 (happy birthday on the day of this writing!), is an Olympic swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. For many people watching the Sydney Games this was the first time they'd heard of that country outside of a geography lecture. His appearance in the 100 meters freestyle was definitely the first time they'd ever heard of Eric Moussambani. The IOC had decided that the Games' audience should be expanded to include minor countries with little to no Olympic tradition. They gave wildcards to some of these nations, who sent their finest competitors. One of them was Eric Moussambani, a swimmer from a patch of land in Atlantic Africa known only to oil executives and Really Intrepid Explorers.

He was put on the program and given his Olympic baptism in a preliminary heat in the standard olympic-size swimming pool, which was about 2.5 times the length of anything he'd seen before. His fellow wildcard competitors in the heat, two gents from Niger and Tajikistan, managed to disqualify themselves with false starts, leaving Eric up shi alone in the pool with 100 meters to go for glory, though a place in the semi-final round looked rather unlikely. It was to be the longest swim of his eight-month old career as a swimmer. That must have looked like a whole lot of water in front of him. It wasn't long before people were questioning whether he'd make it at all. Eric was clearly tiring by the time he reached the 50-meter mark and somehow managed to get the turn right enough to avoid disqualification. His style turned from just sloppy to truly erratic as he struggled to make it through the second half of the solo race. He finally made it in 1:52.72, taking eight seconds longer than the winner of the 200-meter race the day before.

The Sydney crowd were pretty much scratching their heads but their reaction eventually turned from jeers to cheers as Eric valiantly splashed his way towards a personal best (and national record). His reward was a standing ovation, a Speedo sponsorship, a catchy nickname from a Times columnist, and a permanent place in Olympic lore. Right next to Johnny Weissmuller , Jesse Owens , and Eddie the Eagle . Eric the Eel brought his time down to around 57 seconds training in Spain (of which Equatorial Guinea is a former colony) with the intent to be a bona fide competitor in the 2004 Games . Unfortunately the Equatorial Guinean foreign ministry and the local Olympic Committee (such as it may be) were out of paper clips and no bureaucrat could be found in Malabo to attach his passport photo to his accreditation paper. Or something similar. By the time they found one (paper clip or bureaucrat, we're not sure), his photo had gone missing. For real. He was broke, disheartened, and sorely missed in Athens. Maybe you'll see him in 2008 . Probably not. Treasure the memory anyway.

Sports | Equatorial Guinea Online October 31st , 2012 → 7:25 am @ chris posted by – October 31, 2012 by Javier Hernandez Equatorial Guinea Press: (Oct. 30, 2012) - The Women’s Nzalang won by one goal to nil the difficult South African team in the opening match of the Women’s CAN 2012, which was held at the new Malabo Stadium. On the occasion of the opening match, the Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang also offered a bonus of 500 million CFA francs -equivalent to a million dollars- in the event that the Nzalang was victorious, and ten million CFA francs (about $20,000) for each goal scored by the players of the national team. The national team started playing with a team made up by Miriam, S. Adriana, Nike, Carolina, Ana Cristina, Mariana, Jade, Dorin, Anonman, Camila and Chinasa.

The first few minutes were used to make contact and the two teams showed they are among the favorites to clinch this CAN 2012. The match began with the kick-off by the First Lady of the Nation, Contancia Mangue de Obiang, who is the Women’s Nzalang number one fan and who wore the team jersey. The match was played with many difficulties, because the field was in very poor condition due to the heavy rainfall that took place before the game, but the national team started to dominate the game and at 20 minutes, a great play by Equatorial Guinean Jade resulted in a shot that almost became the first goal. The goal was imminent, and several Equatorial Guinean plays put the South African goalkeeper, Dlamini, in serious danger, until a great play by Equatorial Guinea ended with a spectacular header by Chinasa, which would subsequently be the victory goal. A few minutes later, a new play by Jade and a shot by Chinasa were stopped by the goalkeeper. But then Anonman launched a hard shot that grazed the South African goalpost. Equatorial Guinea clearly dominated the match and had South Africa at their mercy.

The first half ended with a shot against the crossbar by Jade, one of the best players of the match, along with the goalscorer Chinasa. The second half was a continuation of what happened in the first, with the Nzalang dominating the match and a defense that prevented all attack attempts of a desperate South Africa. At that time, the player Bruna entered the field to replace the injured Dorin, and Adriana Tiga substituted Jade. The match ended with the result of 1 to 0, with the audience going crazy and with the Nzalang presenting its strong bid to win the Women’s CAN. The technical approach was excellent, the team was outstanding and the delivery of all the players was commendable. On the occasion of the opening match, the Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang also offered a bonus of 500 million CFA francs -equivalent to a million dollars- in the event that the whole Nzalang proves victorious, and ten million CFA francs (about $20,000) for each goal scored by the national players.

October 29th , 2012 → 7:56 am @ chris posted by – October 29th, 2012 Banyana Banyana went down 1-0 to hosts Equatorial Guinea in a Group A fixture at the 8th CAF African Women Football Championship 2012, played in wet conditions in front of 15 000-red clad home fans at the Malabo Stadium on Sunday, 28 October 2012. The hosts took the lead in the 38th minute when striker Gloria Chinasa rose high in the Banyana Banyana penalty area, to collect a cross from the right and head home, wide of a diving SA goalkeeper Thoko Mndaweni. Rain throughout the day, turned the Malabo stadium pitch into a mud-bath with the hosts having the better of the chances in the first half. Midfielder Refiloe Jane played her heart out in tackling and winning possession in the Banyana Banyana midfield, in a bid to supply quality opportunities to strikers Portia Modise and Andisiwe Mgcoyi.

The match was marred by University of Johannesburg (Sasol League Gauteng) star Noko Matlou being fouled early in the second half and taken to hospital with a suspected neck injury. Matlou was replaced by Cape Town Roses (Sasol League Western Cape) attacker Jermaine Seoposenwe, who had few opportunities on the ball in the wet conditions. Seoposenwe was in the thick of the action with eight minutes to go, in taking on two defenders and powered her way into the Equatorila Guinea penalty area, but slipped in the muddy conditions. Left-back defender Nothando Vilakazi was again a pillar of strength in the Banyana Banyana rearguard while striker Portia Modise always looked for work on attacked. In the latter stages, the experienced Modise switched play cleverly for Durban Ladies (Sasol League KwaZulu Natal) striker Silindile Ngubane (on for Zamandosi Cele) to raid down the right flank. Banyana Banyana will face Senegal in Malabo on October 31, and will leave the island and travel to Bata for their final group encounter with DR Congo on November 3.

The semi-finals will take place in either Malabo or Bata on November 7, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on November 1 Banyana Banyana went down 1-0 to hosts Equatorial Guinea in a Group A fixture at the 8th CAF African Women Football Championship 2012, played in wet conditions in front of 15 000-red clad home fans at the Malabo Stadium on Sunday, 28 October 2012. The hosts took the lead in the 38th minute when striker Gloria Chinasa rose high in the Banyana Banyana penalty area, to collect a cross from the right and head home, wide of a diving SA goalkeeper Thoko Mndaweni. Rain throughout the day, turned the Malabo stadium pitch into a mud-bath with the hosts having the better of the chances in the first half. Midfielder Refiloe Jane played her heart out in tackling and winning possession in the Banyana Banyana midfield, in a bid to supply quality opportunities to strikers Portia Modise and Andisiwe Mgcoyi.

The match was marred by University of Johannesburg (Sasol League Gauteng) star Noko Matlou being fouled early in the second half and taken to hospital with a suspected neck injury. Matlou was replaced by Cape Town Roses (Sasol League Western Cape) attacker Jermaine Seoposenwe, who had few opportunities on the ball in the wet conditions. Seoposenwe was in the thick of the action with eight minutes to go, in taking on two defenders and powered her way into the Equatorila Guinea penalty area, but slipped in the muddy conditions. Left-back defender Nothando Vilakazi was again a pillar of strength in the Banyana Banyana rearguard while striker Portia Modise always looked for work on attacked. In the latter stages, the experienced Modise switched play cleverly for Durban Ladies (Sasol League KwaZulu Natal) striker Silindile Ngubane (on for Zamandosi Cele) to raid down the right flank. Banyana Banyana will face Senegal in Malabo on October 31, and will leave the island and travel to Bata for their final group encounter with DR Congo on November 3.

The semi-finals will take place in either Malabo or Bata on November 7, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on November 11. October 16th , 2012 → 9:25 am @ chris posted by – October 16th, 2012 Banyana Banyana head coach Joseph Mkhonza will take a locally-based South African national senior team to the CAF African Women Championship 2012 in Equatorial Guinea from October 28 to November 11. Despite the absence of the USA-based pair of goalkeeper Roxanne Barker and Kylie Ann Louw (study commitments) and experienced Russian-based midfielder Nompumelelo Nyandeni (club commitments), the ‘local is lekker’ Banyana Banyana team have vowed to do their country proud in the heat of action in the cities of Malabo and Bata.

Nyandeni’s absence allows for Durban Ladies (Sasol League KwaZulu Natal) defender Charlotte Mshengu to take the final spot among the 18 players to travel for next week’s national camp in Yaoundé, Cameroon, before the national team heads to Malabo on 25 October 2012. Mshengu impressed the national team coaches during the first week of the national training camp in Johannesburg and holds great versatility in being able to play in any of the defensive positions. “Losing a player of Nyandeni’s talent and experience will always be a setback to any team, but the spirit among the players in camp is high and we remain focused on our objective of improving on our world ranking of 56th and African ranking of 4th, at the tournament,” said Mkhonza.

“The players have been hard at training at the national camp since the start of October, and Safa and Sasol must be thanked for allowing the ladies to stay in camp for this length of time to prepare thoroughly for the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.” After beating Zimbabwe 1-0 in an international friendly encounter at the Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday, the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana will take on the Zimbabweans, at the Sinaba Stadium, Daveyton on Tuesday, 16 October 2012 (15h00 kick-off). Banyana Banyana have been drawn in Group A at the CAF African Women Championship 2012 and will face hosts Equatorial Guinea in Malabo on October 28, Senegal in Malabo on October 31, before travelling to Bata for their encounter with DR Congo on November 3. Successful group stage results will see the South Africans play in the semi-finals in either Malabo or Bata on November 7, with the 3rd/4th place playoff and the title decider both scheduled for Malabo on November 11.

Banyana Banyana are expected to leave for Cameroon on Friday, 19 October 2012. October 1st , 2012 → 9:27 am @ chris posted by – October 1st, 2012 FORMER Safa president Molefi Oliphant has been entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the running of the eighth African Women’s Championship in Equatorial Guinea from October 28 to November 11. Oliphant was appointed by CAF president Issa Hayatou. The respected soccer administrator-cum-businessman will be the head of the organising committee of this biennial tournament, scheduled for Malabo and Bata. “This is a great honour, I will be working with my team to ensure that the tournament in Equatorial Guinea is a resounding success,” said Oliphant yesterday. “I will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the tournament, working closely with the local organising committee in Equatorial Guinea.” Former PSL executive committee member and Mamelodi Sundowns’ managing director Anastasia Tsichlas has been appointed to serve as Oliphant’s deputy.

Three other South African officials on the 43-member CAF delegation to the tournament are Dr Shorty Moolla, who will serve as a member of the medical committee with Fran Hilton-Smith, Safa’s women’s football technical director – working as a member of the technical study group. Council of Southern Africa Football Associations’ chief operations officer, Sue Destombes, has been appointed general coordinator of Group A. Countries in Group A are Equatorial Guinea, South Africa, Senegal and Democratic Republic of Congo. September 13th , 2012 → 9:18 am @ chris posted by – September 13th, 2012 This past weekend the first qualifying matches for the African Cup of Nations to be held in South Africa during January and February 2013 were played. We highlight the victories of Cape Verde and Mozambique over Cameroon and Morocco, and the crushing defeat of Equatorial Guinea against the Democratic Republic of Congo. On Saturday, the local teams dominated the scoreboards with ample victories for Ivory Coast, Mali, Ghana and Cape Verde and close victories by Central African Republic and Zambia.

The visiting teams did not succeed in any of the games and the draw was the best result managed by Nigeria, Togo and Tunisia. Only Botswana, who lost 3-0 to Mali, seems ruled out from the CAN 2013. The same thing happens to Equatorial Guinea, who played on Sunday, and was overcome by the powerful team of the Democratic Republic of Congo which, with the four goals it made, has practically achieved the classification. The rest of the matches on Sunday were settled with local victories for Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Guinea, and the only victory by a visiting team throughout the weekend was that of Algeria against Libya. Gabon 1 – Togo 1 Central African Republic 1 – Burkina Faso 0 Zambia 1 – Uganda 0 August 1st , 2012 → 7:12 am @ chris posted by – August 1st, 2012 The Equatorial Guinean swimmer Eric Moussambani Malonga is in the news in the international press, even without being in the Olympics. Dozens of journalists have gone to the pavilion of Equatorial Guinea searching for the famous swimmer, who has not even gone to London.

Eric Moussambani, the most famous swimmer from Equatorial Guinea. 01/08/2012 The former Equatorial Guinean swimmer and current coach of the National Swimming team, Eric Moussambani Malonga, is one of the most famous sportsmen and most sought-after by the media and most-named in social networks, though he is not even in the city of the Olympic Games. Twelve years after Sydney 2000, the unprecedented performance of Moussambani still places him on the pages of the Olympic sports press and especially in articles related to swimming. But the media interest does not end here: the head of the Equatorial Guinean pavilion in the Olympic Village in Stratford is constantly answering to the flood of journalists endlessly seeking Moussambani to interview him. Some who come do not understand why the most famous swimmer of our country is not part of the delegation.

One of the responses of the Equatorial Guinean Olympic Committee is that Eric Moussambani was entrusted with the National Swimming Team, with the hope that the International Swimming Federation (FINA) would offer another spot for an Equatorial Guinean swimmer, something that has not been repeated since, according to FINA, the Federation of Equatorial Guinea has not participated in any of the world, continental, let alone subregional, competitions since 2000. Since early this year, many media from Brazil, Germany, United States, France, Australia and the Netherlands have expressed interest in interviewing Moussambani. EricMoussambani Malonga had not swum in an Olympic swimming pool before arriving in Sydney (Australia). July 30th , 2012 → 7:56 am @ chris posted by – July 30th, 2012 The exceptional opening ceremony of the Olympics this year has been one of the best editions held until now. The secret kept by the organizing committee, LOCOB, was unveiled on Friday night. The Equatorial Guinean Olympic team also participated in this parade of stars.

The athletes Bibiana Martina and Benjamin Ensema participated in the parade with the flag of Equatorial Guinea. Click image to enlarge and see the rest of the photographs 30/07/2012 The ceremony took place amid extreme security measures, as they estimated some 19,000 security personnel, between police and military, participated, measures never used by Great Britain after World War II. The party was big, very big, and 10,000 artists prepared by the filmmaker Danny Boyle, artistic director of the ceremony, gave it their best. The nearly three-hour show, divided into several blocks, was deployed in a space that represented a natural farm -planted in the middle of the playing field- which symbolized the spirit of innovation and the need to build a better world, true freedom, equality and prosperity, with a popular culture. Then followed messages from the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon; from the President of the organizing committee, Sebastian Coe, and the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Dr. Jacques Rogge. They all left the sport players with the feeling that victory is not as important as participating.

Immediately afterwards, Queen Elizabeth II inaugurated the 2012 London Olympics. Amid applauses and cheers, in the colorful Olympic stadium in London, the 80,000 people attending received the Olympic torch, which arrived triumphantly at the sports complex after traveling 20,690 kilometers. Bibiana Martina Olama, an athlete competing in the heptathlon, has been, on this occasion, the Equatorial Guinean flag bearer, replacing Emilia Mikue, who carried the torch in 2008 to Beijing. Along with her in the parade was the second team member, Benjamin Manuel Ensema. Moreover, in the box were the Vice Minister of Youth and Sports, who is also President of the National Olympic Committee, Manuel Asumu Cawan, with the Secretary of State for Sports, Ruslan Obiang Nsue.

June 25th , 2012 → 5:38 am @ chris posted by – June 25th, 2012 ARE we not expecting too much from our Warriors?This is the question that may be in many fans’ minds following Zimbabwe’s recent performances in the ongoing 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. With the final qualifying draw on which Zimbabwe joins Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan, Tunisia, Zambia, Egypt or Morocco, Botswana, Cape Verde Islands, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo and Uganda to be held on July 5, fans are wondering if the Warriors have what it takes to compete with the best. When the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers draw was conducted pitting the Warriors against “lightweights” Burundi, the nation rejoiced because Burundi are a small football nation. Zimbabwe is ranked 26th in Africa while Burundi is placed 14 places down the ladder.

Surprisingly, Burundi managed to beat the Warriors 2-1 in the first leg only to go down by a slender 1-0 in the second leg at the National Sports Stadium last Sunday. Relevant Links Musona Dedicates Goal to the Nation The Warriors also drew 0-0 with another “lightweight” Mozambique in a World Cup qualifier. Mozambique is seven places below the Warriors. Big boys such as Guinea, who are ranked at number 14 on the continent, came to Zimbabwe and our team bowed their heads succumbing to a 1-0 loss. The above results put paid to the school of thought that the Warriors are capable of contesting against the best on the continent. This brings about the question of the calibre of the players and the leagues they ply their trade in. Most of them are based in the South African premiership, which is known more for its wealth than talent. Moreover, the Warriors’ best player, Knowledge Musona, is a permanent feature on his team’s bench which has prompted them to loan him to another club to get game time. The same can be said of Ovidy Karuru.

The other question that has been raised is whether interim coach Rahman Gumbo is the right person for the job. Gumbo seems to be a good coach having won championships in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Botswana but he has failed to make an impact on the continent with respective teams, sparking doubts about his pedigree. To make matters worse, Gumbo is not a full-time national coach and has divided loyalty between his club FC Platinum and the country. Former Warriors player Paul Gundani, believes that there is enough talent in the country but preparations are always the biggest letdown. “During the Dream Team era, we had a coach who was good at motivating players. The late Reinhard Fabisch was not technically talented, but he stood for the players and motivated them,” he said. “We also did not have problems with regards to bonuses as Zifa had an agreement with the Dream Team that saw us getting 40% of gross gate taking. “Remember we used to attract more than 50 000 fans everytime we played at the National Sports Stadium. At one time we got Z$25 000 for a win which was a lot of money then. Moreover, Fabisch was substantive unlike the case of Gumbo,” he said.

Fabisch would also stand up Zifa’s shenanigans. Gundani also bemoaned the lack of continuity in the current Warriors set up. “Fabisch kept a bunch of about 35 players between 1992 and 1995 and that meant the players knew each other well. Even the fans knew the first 11. “Local coaches should also be accorded the same respect as foreign coaches, just the same way the association used to respect Fabisch,” he said. Another former Warriors player Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa also echoed Gundani’s sentiments. “We have the talent in the country. All we have to do is improve on our preparations. We need a substantive coach for the team. “Maybe the 1-0 win over Burundi will motivate the players. It is also a good thing that Peter (Ndlovu) is working with the strikers,” he said. Veteran soccer commentator Charles Mabika however feels that the Warriors are still a force to be reckoned with. “I don’t think we played badly. It is just that we were not getting the goals.

I wouldn’t like a situation where we will be drawn against Cote d’Ivoire or Ghana. “I think we will have a chance playing a southern African team. We need to improve on our strike force by calling players such as Mike Temwanjira whom I understand is doing well in Romania,” he said. World's worst olympic trials - Waaay funny :) Vestavia Hills Subject: RE: World's worst olympic trials - Waaay funny :) Here is some additional info from a sports blog (stating that the Speedo sponsorship to be true): Unlikely Sporting Heroes: "Eric the Eel" Eric "the Eel" Moussambani, b. 1978-05-31 (happy birthday on the day of this writing!), is an Olympic swimmer from Equatorial Guinea who competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. For many people watching the Sydney Games this was the first time they'd heard of that country outside of a geography lecture. His appearance in the 100 meters freestyle was definitely the first time they'd ever heard of Eric Moussambani.

The IOC had decided that the Games' audience should be expanded to include minor countries with little to no Olympic tradition. They gave wildcards to some of these nations, who sent their finest competitors. One of them was Eric Moussambani, a swimmer from a patch of land in Atlantic Africa known only to oil executives and Really Intrepid Explorers. He was put on the program and given his Olympic baptism in a preliminary heat in the standard olympic-size swimming pool, which was about 2.5 times the length of anything he'd seen before. His fellow wildcard competitors in the heat, two gents from Niger and Tajikistan, managed to disqualify themselves with false starts, leaving Eric up shialone in the pool with 100 meters to go for glory, though a place in the semi-final round looked rather unlikely. It was to be the longest swim of his eight-month old career as a swimmer. That must have looked like a whole lot of water in front of him. It wasn't long before people were questioning whether he'd make it at all. Eric was clearly tiring by the time he reached the 50-meter mark and somehow managed to get the turn right enough to avoid disqualification.

His style turned from just sloppy to truly erratic as he struggled to make it through the second half of the solo race. He finally made it in 1:52.72, taking eight seconds longer than the winner of the 200-meter race the day before. The Sydney crowd were pretty much scratching their heads but their reaction eventually turned from jeers to cheers as Eric valiantly splashed his way towards a personal best (and national record). His reward was a standing ovation, a Speedo sponsorship, a catchy nickname from a Times columnist, and a permanent place in Olympic lore. Right next to Johnny Weissmuller , Jesse Owens , and Eddie the Eagle . Eric the Eel brought his time down to around 57 seconds training in Spain (of which Equatorial Guinea is a former colony) with the intent to be a bona fide competitor in the 2004 Games . Unfortunately the Equatorial Guinean foreign ministry and the local Olympic Committee (such as it may be) were out of paper clips and no bureaucrat could be found in Malabo to attach his passport photo to his accreditation paper. Or something similar.

By the time they found one (paper clip or bureaucrat, we're not sure), his photo had gone missing. For real. He was broke, disheartened, and sorely missed in Athens. Maybe you'll see him in 2008 . Probably not. Treasure the memory anyway. 'Eric the Eel' dreams of Olympic return - CNN.com 'Eric the Eel' dreams of Olympic return By James Montague, CNN Updated 9:00 AM ET, Tue July 31, 2012 Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Eel communication – "Eric the Eel" became something of an Olympic hero when he swam at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His time of one minute 52.72 seconds in the 100 meters freestyle was the worst in Olympic history. Hide Caption 1 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Calm before the storm – Eric Moussambani hails from Equatorial Guinea in west Africa.

He replied to an advert on the radio looking for swimmers and was promptly told he was going to the Games despite having never seen an Olympic-sized pool before. Hide Caption 2 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Take off – His two opponents in the heat were disqualified for false starts. Moussambani, who had learned his technique from the American swim team in the two days before the race, set off on his own as the crowd cheered. Hide Caption 3 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Eric the Eel vs. the pool – The reason that Moussambani could swim at Sydney was because the International Olympic Committee gives out a limited number of wild cards to developing nations. Hide Caption 4 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? A new Olympic record... – Moussambani struggled but eventually finished the race. It wasn't enough to qualify for the next round but the record books still show that he technically won his one and only Olympic race. Hide Caption 5 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel?

Hero worship – Eric's swim became world news and he became something of a hero for his gutsy, if flawed, swim. Hide Caption 6 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Later that day... – There was one other swimmer from Equatorial Guinea at Sydney. Paula Barila Bolopa swam in the women's 50 meters freestyle and also came last in a record time of one minute 3.93 seconds. It was twice the previous worst time in the event. Hide Caption 7 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? Trevor the Tortoise – Since Eric's infamy, the world's press has been on the look for similar anomalies at major championships. One of the best known is Trevor Misipeka from American Samoa, dubbed "Trevor the Tortoise." He was penciled in for the shotputt, but an administrative error meant that he had to compete in the 100 meters sprint, which he did in 14.28 seconds. Hide Caption 8 of 9 Photos: What happened to Eric the Eel? The new Eel?

– Despite the IOC keeping a closer eye on its wild cards, London 2012 has had its own "Eric the Eel" moment. Rower Hamadou Djibo Issaka of Niger finished in last place in a single sculls repechage, 100 seconds behind his nearest rival. He has acquired his own animal-themed nickname: "The Sculling Sloth." Hide Caption CNN talks to Eric Moussambani, better known as "Eric the Eel" Equatorial Guinea athlete became a worldwide celebrity for the worst swim ever He finished 100 meters freestyle heat at Sydney 2000 in double the world record time Now 34, Moussambani is hoping to return to the Olympics at Rio in 2016 The English commentator veered from disbelief to anger and then, finally, to mirth. It was the opening heat of the men's 100 meters freestyle swimming at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, but only one man was standing on his block: Eric Moussambani from Equatorial Guinea, a tiny, oil-rich state in west Africa.

There had been two other swimmers to compete with -- one from Niger, the other from Tajikistan -- but both had jumped the gun, dived in to the pool and been disqualified. The crowd cheered, the gun fired and the 22-year-old dived in. Suddenly he was on his own. What followed was one of the most memorable two minutes in Olympic history, one that would embody something far away from the podiums that honor the motto of the modern Games: "Faster, higher, stronger." During the first 50 meters Moussambani appeared to be holding his own, but by the turn things had gone very wrong. At one point he appeared to stop, treading water to catch his breath before continuing. Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – The countdown to the start of the opening ceremony is projected across the stands while the Royal Air Force aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, flies over the Olympic Stadium. The opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games was held on Friday, July 27. Check out photos from the closing ceremony.

Hide Caption 1 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Spectators take shelter under umbrellas prior to the start of the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A man wearing glasses waits for the start of the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A balloon flies over spectators prior to the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Spectators wait under the rain before the ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Red Arrows fly over Olympic Stadium before the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 6 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – A robotic camera captures an overview of the Olympic Stadium at the start of the London 2012 Opening Ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers prepare for the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 8 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Red Arrows fly over the Olympic Stadium and the ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Danny Boyle, the London 2012 artistic director, addresses the audience. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Red Arrows disappear over London ahead of the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption 11 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Bradley Wiggins, the first British winner of the Tour De France cycle race, waves to the audience. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A young performer holds a balloon bearing the Olympic rings. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A young performer holds a balloon. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists take the field for the meadow scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists arrive before the start of the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fans take photos as cows are lead across the stadium floor. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists arrive in a horse and carriage. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors perform during the British meadow scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers depict a view of the English countryside. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers depict a view of the English countryside. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Cricketers play on the pitch during the preshow. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors perform during the British meadow scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The London Symphony Orchestra performs during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 26 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – A general view of the inside of the stadium during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 27 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, at the start of the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – General view taken during a scene of The Age of Industry. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Huge chimneys emerge from the ground to symbolize the industrial revolution. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – An inflatable yellow submarine floats above artists. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Inflatable yellow submarines float above artists during The Age of Industry scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Spectators watch the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Hide Caption 33 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, attends the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Friday.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A general view of Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors perform during the British meadow scene during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Kenneth Branagh performs as Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform as the sun sets in the background. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The sun sets behind performers. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Drummers dressed in period garb perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers drum during the Opening Ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Drummers during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors perform during the industrial revolution scene. Hide Caption 44 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – A general view of the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Hide Caption opening ceremonies 28 – The Olympic rings form. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption 47 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremonyv – The Olympic rings are assembled above the stadium in a scene depicting the Industrial Revolution. Hide Caption 48 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Freshly "forged" Olympic Rings fly above the chimneys during The Age of Industry scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Olympic rings are assembled. Hide Caption 50 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An actor dressed to resemble Britain's Queen Elizabeth II parachutes into the stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – People wave Union flags during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists dressed in costumes perform. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers with jetpacks take part in the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 54 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An actor dressed to resemble Britain's Queen Elizabeth II parachutes into the stadium during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption 55 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Queen Elizabeth II, right, and Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, attend the ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors and dancers play Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital staff and patients. Hide Caption 57 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers from the GOSH, Great Ormond Street Hospital, perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 58 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An artist flies over children and nurses during the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Actors perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Dancers perform in the GOSH and NHS scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Children perform a song. Hide Caption 62 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Giant puppets depicting Lord Voldemort, center, from the Harry Potter books and the Child Catcher from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" swirl around the stage in the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Lord Voldemort looms over the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Spectators wearing 3-D glasses during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – An artist performs during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – General view taken as actors perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 67 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Giant pictures depicting villains of British literature, including Captain Hook from "Peter Pan," are displayed during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 68 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An actor dressed as Mary Poppins performs in the GOSH and NHS scene. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers float with umbrellas as they play the role of Mary Poppins. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – General view taken as actors perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Dancers perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 72 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – British actor Rowan Atkinson in his role as Mr. Bean plays in the orchestra.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A broad view of the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers dance to British music spanning the decades. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A general view of the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – An artist performs with a glowing pacifier during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 78 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – A performer in a giant ball is passed around during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption 79 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Dancers perform under a "setting sun" in a scene dramatizing the struggle between life and death. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – General view of performers during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Dancers perform in a scene dramatizing the struggle between life and death. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Performers dance during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists perform during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – A parachutist lands outside the Olympic Stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Artists wearing wings and riding bicylces perform during the ceremony. Hide Caption 88 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Olympic stadium lit up in red and blue during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Members of the Australia team parde into the stadium. Hide Caption 90 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Members of Brazil's delegation hold their national flag as they walk during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Simon Whitfield of the Canada Olympic triathlon team carries his country's flag. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Canadian athletes enter the stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Chinese athletes enter the stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Croatia's delegation parades during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Athletes parade during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Members of India's delegation parade in the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption 97 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – A member of India's delegation takes a picture as he parades during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Ali Mazaheri of the Iran Olympic boxing team carries his country's flag. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Members of Iran's delegation parade during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Usain Bolt leads the Jamaican Olympic team around the stadium. Hide Caption 101 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Reigning Olympic men's 100-meter and 200-meter champion Usain Bolt of Jamaica carries his country's flag. Hide Caption 102 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An image of Jamaica's track star Usain Bolt, currently the world's fastest man, is projected on The Houses of Parliament in London. Hide Caption 103 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Natascha Keller of the German Olympic hockey team carries her country's flag during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Song-Chol Pak of the North Korea Olympic team carries his country's flag. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Athletes parade during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Philippine Van Aanholt, an independent Olympic athlete, parades during the opening ceremony Hide Caption 107 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Mariel Zagunis of the United States Olympic fencing team carries her country's flag. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fencer Mariel Zagunis leads the U.S. Olympic team around the stadium. Hide Caption 109 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – An image of British Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards is projected on the Houses of Parliament . Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Members of the Britain's delegation parade wave. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – British spectators cheer as they attend the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks explode from the top of Tower Bridge. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks go off from Tower Bridge. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks light up Tower Bridge.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks are displayed at Tower Bridge. Hide Caption 116 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – David Beckham passes under Tower Bridge driving a speedboat named "Max Power," which carries the Olympic Torch. Hide Caption 117 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Torchbearer Sir Steve Redgrave hands the Olympic flame over to the seven young athletes who represent Britain's hopes for the next Olympics. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The young athletes carry the Olympic glame. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Olympic flame is carried into the stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Olympic flame burns in the cauldron. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – The Olympic flame is seen in the stadium during the ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Participants look on as the Olympic flame burns in the cauldron. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks over the Olympic Stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks burst above the stadium during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks cast a purple glow over the Olympic Stadium.

Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks explode from the stadium roof. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks ignite over the Olympic Stadium. Hide Caption 128 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – People cheer as they watch the opening ceremony on an outdoor screen at Piccadilly Circus. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks light up the Olympic Stadium and the night sky. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks over the Olympic Stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks illuminate the sky in a fiery rainbow of color. Hide Caption 132 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks go off over the Olympic Stadium at the official opening of the 2012 Games. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Danny Boyle, the director of the opening ceremony, reacts to the show. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks form a fiery ring over the Olympic Stadium. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – General view as fireworks illuminate the sky during the opening ceremony. Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks are let off over the Olympic stadium Hide Caption Olympics: Opening ceremony – Sir Paul McCartney performs during the opening ceremony.

Hide Caption 138 of 139 Photos: Olympics: Opening ceremony Olympics: Opening ceremony – Fireworks light up the sky during the opening ceremony. Check out photos from the closing ceremony. Hide Caption Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Liu Xiang, hurdler – Liu Xiang will aim for his second gold medal in London's Olympic Games when he runs the 110-meter hurdles. Hide Caption 1 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Sun Yang, swimmer – Swimmer Sun Yang aims to be the first Chinese male to win gold in his sport. Hide Caption 2 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Li Na, tennis player – Tennis star Li Na will compete in the singles tournament in her final Olympic appearance. Hide Caption 3 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Lin Dan, badminton player – Lin Dan, four-time world champion, will represent China in the sport of badminton. Hide Caption 4 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Zhang Jike, table tennis player – Zhang Jike hopes to score big in China's "national ball game" when he competes in table tennis.

Hide Caption 5 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Ren Cancan, boxer – Ren Cancan, three-time world boxing champ, needs to beat five-time world champion Mary Kom of India to take Olympic gold. Hide Caption 6 of 7 Photos: Chinese athletes to look out for Guo Ailun, basketball player – Guo Ailun will be calling shots as the point guard for China's men's basketball team. Hide Caption Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre The Munich massacre – On September 5, 1972, the world woke up to images of the Munich Olympics in the throes of a hostage crisis. Two Israeli athletes had been killed and nine taken hostage by members of Black September, a Palestinian terrorist movement demanding the release of political prisoners by the Israeli government. Hide Caption 1 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Munich 1972 begins – Forty years ago, the Munich Olympics had begun full of hope. Coming just 27 years after the end of World War II, it gave the new, democratic West Germany a chance to present a different face to the world.

Hide Caption 2 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre A poignant return – It was particularly poignant for the Israeli Olympic team, many of whom had suffered directly at the hands of the Nazis. The team marked their arrival with a visit to the Dachau concentration camp. Hide Caption 3 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre A relic from the past – But there were still remnants of the past. Hitler's favorite movie maker and propagandist Leni Riefenstahl is pictured here at the Olympic stadium. Hide Caption 4 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Under siege – In a rush to show a demilitarized Germany, security around the Olympic village was lax. On September 4 the terrorist group entered the village and overpowered the Israelis. One was shot dead immediately while a second was killed soon after. Hide Caption 5 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Crowds gather for news – A tense standoff followed as Black September demanded the release of 200 political prisoners. The Israeli government refused to negotiate.

The German authorities, who had no dedicated anti-terrorist response unit, floundered as the terrorists' deadline approached. Hide Caption 6 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre The end game – The remaining nine hostages were killed in a botched rescue mission. It later emerged that the German authorities had committed a series of blunders during the attempted rescue. Hide Caption 7 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Munich continues – The world, and the terrorists, had watched the crisis unfold live on TV. Many wanted the Games to be canceled, but the IOC refused. Competition restarted after a one day pause. Hide Caption Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre Israeli athletes leave – The remaining Israeli athletes and officials returned home. Hide Caption Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre The return home – The coffins of the dead athletes and officials followed with them. Hide Caption 10 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre The mission – Only three of the terrorists survived. Two were later killed, allegedly by Israeli intelligence in an operation to avenge the massacre.

The mission was dramatized in the Steven Spielberg film "Munich." Only one is known to be alive today, Jamal al Gashey (right). Hide Caption 11 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre The survivor – Shaul Ladany survived the massacre. He was a champion Olympic walker who had also survived the Holocaust as a child. Hide Caption 12 of 13 Photos: The 1972 Munich massacre A moment for the dead? – After Munich he became an academic and spent two spells in the Israeli military. At 76 years old he still walks 15 kilometers every day. He is baffled as to why the IOC refused a one-minute silence for the Israeli dead at London 2012's opening ceremony. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The best: Prada and the Italian sailing team – World-renowned Italian fashion house Prada was a natural choice to design these understated and simple uniforms for the Italian sailing team.

Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The best: Cedella Marley, Puma and Jamaica – Of all the designers involved in London 2012, Cedella Marley's collaboration with Puma has perhaps garnered the most praise. The granddaughter of reggae legend Bob Marley has created outfits that radiate laidback, urban cool. Of course, it helps that Usain Bolt is wearing them. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The best: Next and Team GB formalwear – Moderate high-street chain Next designed the Team GB formalwear for Friday's opening ceremony, where the host squad will be paraded in front of their home crowd for the first time. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The best: Ermanno Scervino and Azerbaijan – Lesser-known Italian fashion house Ermanno Scervino describes itself as "a luxurious glam-rock essence made in Florence." These designs for the Azerbaijan squad will go some way to putting the former Soviet republic on the map during the Games.

Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The best: Ralph Lauren and U.S. formalwear – Controversy erupted when it emerged the Ralph Lauren-designed U.S. kit had been manufactured in China. Despite the outsourced production, the New Yorker's creations are quintessentially American. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The worst: Bosco Sport and Spain – The uniforms that Russian designers Bosco Sport created for the Spain's Olympians are so dreadful that the athletes have taken to social-networking website Twitter to express their displeasure. Hockey player Alex Fabregas uploaded a picture of himself clad in his new gear with the caption: "Olympic kit ... there are no adjectives." Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The worst: Bosco Sport and Russia – Bosco Sport can't seem to catch a break, this time grabbing attention of the wrong kind for its retina-scalding designs for the Russian athletes.

Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Runway to running track: Fashion at the Olympics The worst: Slovakia – It is unclear who designed the Slovakian team's uniforms -- although who wouldn't want to retain anonymity after creating those fedoras? Hide Caption The most infamous Olympians - Sports Features, Olympics, Olympic 2016, Rio Olympics, Rio 2016, Olympic Underdogs, Infamous Olympians, Eddie The Eagle, Cool Runnings, Jamaican Olympic Bobsled - Esquire Middle East The most infamous Olympians Forget Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis... Lucas Oakeley 31July2016 Lucas Oakeley 'Faster, stronger, higher' is the credo of the Olympic games. Three words in which the world's best athletes are judged by every four years as billions of people around the world watch on. It's the platform where people push human sporting endeavour to its limits and, most of the time, they even do it without the help of doping.

But for as many Carl Lewis' and Michael Phelps' there are occupying the top step of the medals podiums, for other atheltes the dream of merely competitng at the Olympics is one of true accomplishment. Sure, the medals are great but here are a list of atheletes that have left their own legacy on the Games in one way or another. *** Eddie Edwards Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards was a British ski jumper and skier who became famous in 1988 as the first competitor since 1929 to represent Great Britain at Olympic ski jumping. Finishing last in both the 70m and 90m events, Eddie was a classic underdog and the perfect example of misguided determination in the face of imminent failure. Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong Better known as “The Snow Leopard”, Glasgow-born Kwame was a proud Ghanaian whose passion for skiing was ignited whilst working at an indoor ski slope in Milton Keynes.

From humble beginnings, Kwame went on to became Ghana’s first ever Winter Olympian, taking part in the Vancouver Games of 2010 where he finished 53rd out of 102 participants, of whom 54 actually finished Eric Moussambani Dubbed “Eric the Eel” by the media, Eric Moussambani was a swimmer from Equatorial Guinea, infamous for his performance at the 2000 Sydney Olympics where he swam his heat of the 100m freestyle in a laboriously slow time of 1:52.72. Eric’s time was double that of his competitors, and was even notoriously slower than the time for the 200 m world record. Despite appearing as a relative failure in comparison to other athletes, Eric still managed set an Equatoguinean national record and later when to the coach the country’s national swimming squad. Shockingly, they haven’t competed since.

The 1988 Jamaican Bobsled Team If you’ve ever seen the 1993 Disney film ‘Cool Runnings’ you’ll likely be the familiar with the story of this rag-tag team of Jamaicans who captured the hearts and minds of all the world’s nations at the Calgary Winter Olympics. Though the film portrays the team as coming painstakingly close to medal contention before their climactic crash, in reality the Jamaicans were in 26th (last) place with a cumulative time of 3:00.60 after three runs. Despite that, the story still remains one that inspires anyone to always give their best no matter how much of an outsider they may be. Philip Boit Philip Boit, whose name was seemingly too difficult for tabloids to muster up a nickname for, was the first Kenyan to ever compete at the Winter Olympics. Boit’s sport of choice was cross-country skiing and it was at the 1998 Nagano Olympics where he made himself a household name after finishing disastrous 92nd out of 92 competitors in the 10-kilometer classic race.

Unperturbed by his failure, Boit went on to compete at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics where he managed to beat three competitors and finish 64th in the sprint race and in the 2006 Turn Olympics where he finished 92nd in the 15km Classic, this time ousting five other athletes. Boit is living proof that hard work yields improvement. Admittedly not massive improvement, but improvement nonetheless. Ara Abrahamian Pursuit of the gold medal can make you do some rather unsporting things, ain't that right Marion Jones and Ben Johnson? Although in the case of Swedish Greco-Roman wrestler Ara Abrahamian it wasn't so much chemical tampering, but more blind range and threats towards the judges during his semi-final in the 84kg catagory in Beijing 2008. Incensed by decisions made the judges, which cost him his place in the final, the wrestler attempted to confront them and had to be restrained by his team-mates. The wrestler shouted at the referee and then angrily approached them before being held back.

The ill-feeling had not passed by the time the medals were presented a day later, as while standing on the podium, Abrahamian took off his bronze medal and left it on the step as he walked off in disgust.

Question: A competitor in the 2000 Sydney Olympics - by what nickname was Equatorial Guinean swimmer Eric Moussambani known?
Answer: Eric the Eel