It is a moment in Olympic history that has been called both funny, and sad. For us, it was one of the most inspirational moments ever. Watch first, then we’ll tell you why…
We watched this moment live, a decade ago during the 2000 during the Summer Olympics in Sydney and it is still burned in our hearts like it was yesterday. In this video, you hear the words, “funny” and “sad.” But what you do not hear is that swimmer Eric Moussambani was from Equatorial Guinea, where there is no such thing as an Olympic sized pool. Where there is no high-tech or high-dollar gyms, coaches, massage therapists, trainers, video monitors, or heart monitors. There’s just heart. And he had it. It was clearly displayed that day by a man who had never had the privilege of swimming distances that most of us swim in our own backyards.
That’s what you did not see on the video. What you did not hear clearly on the video, was the true ROAR of the crowd. Yes, I meant that in all caps, and yes, the commentator audio track drastically ducked the sound of all the spectators erupting in cheers for this man. It was louder than any gold medal performance we have seen to this day. We hope it speaks that loudly to you, too.
That day, Eric Moussambani chose not to be a victim of his circumstance. He chose to be vulnerable on an international stage, at the risk of complete humiliation (or drowning). And the reward was far better than a medal. That day, Eric Moussambani impacted not only his own life, but the lives of millions of people around the world. What are you purposefully doing to impact the lives of those around you? Start with one.