Hi qxir, i got a great story Suggestion for a Video that would fit your channel perfectly. Its about the most famous ghost in germany. If you are Interested just write me.
I believe in you punching bag Paddy you can do it lol to be fair if you pick martial arts that Zen drowning state could be very useful there's nothing like choking a motherfuker completely calm devoid of emotion super relaxing for both parties involved eventually lol.
Honestly, this guy is a bit of a hero. Against all odds, with nearly no training, and definitely no proper training… he stood in front of the world and made history.
And terrified as he was, he could have faked a medical emergency or something, but he went on! And I'm so proud the people cheered him on instead of being shit like people are 99% of the time, and booed him. Also the other dude giving him the gear and coaching him, it all warms my heart and restores a bit of my faith in humanity 😊
@@MumwaW exactly, he probably had other swimmers who he was coaching that also demanded attention, so to give him your additional time to help him out is a big ask and makes him a pretty nice dude
@@kylelovell121 kindness doesn’t feed people or make the world turn. That’s a uniquely human school of thought and we’re the ones destroying the planet so. Maybe we should focus on reality first
@@firkejdjneii28283 I know you can’t help it and that you’re probably like this in your daily life, but I want you to know that you can be different :).
I was at this event and can tell you that the entire crowd was on their feet going crazy cheering him on for his entire swim. He stopped several times but I think when he saw the crowd screaming at him to keep going he found the determination to finish what he had started. The Aussie spirit is a real underdog mentality and we were all behind Eric 100%. There was not as single person in the crowd that had a shred of discontent. As far as we were concerned he was a true champion...
I second that, I use to live near the Olympic site but you could also hear everyone cheering him on at home watching the TV, we just could not help it, I swear I almost held my breath while he was swimming
I used to coach swimming and used Eric as motivation for my 8-9 year old first year swimmers group. We had the “Can you beat an Olympian” challenge. All of them did by the end of the year.
This is one of those stories you'd think was completely made up by a string of half-remembered retellings, like seriously: he made the olympic swim team for his country because he was the only one who showed up to an event where he thought he could score some swimming lessons. Extremely blessed story, and very well told.
Not only that but he is the wildcard of a wildcard seeing as Equitorial Guinea litteraly made a national swimming team composed of only one random joe that volonteered 3 months before the Olympics which likely meant after they received the wildcard in the first place
“I was drowning as a kid and it turned out all I needed to do to float was accept my death” is a hilarious story. Props to the lifeguard for spectating like a cat watching a mouse die.
That is an excellent metaphor for most things in life- more often than not, when we just let things happen naturally, it’s a lot easier to finish, and finish he did. As did Eric. As did Paula. I feel like this is probably the funniest and yet, most heartwarming episode I’ve viewed yet.
6:21 This dude legit lived that nightmare, where you are in school sitting for a test but you have no idea what to do on it. Heck, he's even in front of a huge crowd in nothing but underwear. The fact he still did his best and completed it makes him an absolute legend in my book.
I watched it live. One of the best showings of Olympic spirit ever. When he got to the one end of the pool and he looked up at the official telling him he had to make it all the way back. You can almost see him give up. But he pushed and then the crowd made him stronger. Man it was amazing to see
Moussambani is such a legend among competitive swimmers. Dropped into a crazy situation and completely out of his dept (no pun intended) and yet he still buckled down and pushed though the event, one that most people cant even finish. It doesn't matter that he didn't get a good time, hes still sick as fuck.
GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEADGET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD GET OUT OF MY HEAD
Honestly, what a legend. Dude qualified by default cause he was the only one who cared enough to show up. He held in and finished a race he had zero training for, and he got the respect he deserved for that! Very wholesome! Also that swimming animation was fucking priceless!! Somehow this beat “Aimo yeeting through an enemy camp” and the “Dancing Plague” animations which I didn’t think was fucking possible XD
1:52 isn’t a bad time for someone who just learned to swim 8 months prior. Congrats to Eric for achieving his dream of being a professional swimming and getting a cool story out of it.
Well he kind of put himself in a situation where he could drown by going into a pool. Most people don't go into bodies of water unless they specifically choose to.
I nearly drowned on 4 different occasions, each time because I was in close proximity to pools because I was gonna learn how to swim and on one occasion I almost drowned my teacher and they had to rescue both of us lol. Haven't been near a pool or on a boat in about 15 years, gotta give up at some point.
@@danieldale1488 tbf tho i almost drowned idek how because I was going good then i got half the distance i was supposed to swim and i started tripping about being in the deep end 😂😂😭got long for me from there
What a wholesome story. I can't even imagine what kind of pressure they were both under. I genuinely think I might have just ran away if I was in their shoes.
I love how Qxir draws his characters with an expression of cheerful naivety by default before hurling them into the most peculiar situations known to man
The fact that he went from 1:52 to 56.9 in just for 4 years is very remarkable, that is a pretty good time for a 100 free, still far for the qualifying times for the Olympics but it would have been great to see that in the Olympics again
For real that's the quality of a professional level coach. The man was so dedicated to his craft he had no problem coaching not only a complete stranger but possibly his own swimmers competition. Hats off to him.
It heartwarms me how 1) the other coach gave him proper gear and training, just for no reason, good sportmanship, and 2) how the crowd instead of booing and being the usual shit I know humans to be, cheered him on and made it possible for him to finish the laps! A bit of my faith in humanity is restored ☺️
Somebody who's properly trained but still very bad, maybe being 10 seconds slower than everyone else might get booed or laughed at. Someone who's desperately trying not to drown and its apparent that they are just barely learning how to swim will never get booed or laughed at.
When an ordinary guy is thrown into an extraordinary situation like this, we all see a little bit of ourselves in them. The crowd related to him, and they wanted nothing more than to see him succeed. If an ordinary guy can compete in the Olympics with basically no prior training, that says something powerful about the strength of the human spirit.
this guy's why i'm fully behind a version of the olympics with average joes competing. like there's a raffle in each country and they pick at random, six months of training, go. i'm convinced it'd be amazing
When I watch the Olympics I want to be amazed. I want to see the sport (and the finely tuned bodies) shown as it approaches perfection and crosses over to Art. If I wanted to see mediocrity I could always head to the park to watch an impromptu volleyball game
"Public Olympic" that would sound fun to watch behind a screen. Peacefully laughing at peoples underperforming (depending on the task) While at the same time being awe by the unexpected joe that score as good or better than the average time/score an official olympic person would do.
Love this idea. Take unfit people, train them in 6-12 months, see how they did. It is more about their own improvement than anything, and inspiring to the average joe to get in shape.
I remember watching that live and I felt so proud to be an Australian as everyone stood up and cheered him on, imagine how anxious he would have been feeling after the other to competitors got disqualified (what are the odds but a blessing in disguise) and he was told to race alone. Then he jumps in expecting the worse and then the crowd starts cheering him on and without a doubt helped the man finish and actually won the race technically, what an amazing moment and place to live while the Olympics where on the city was so alive.
This guy did something few have ever done before. For one minute and fifty two seconds, he erased the world's borders and brought us all together. I've never known someone more qualified to star in the Olympics.
I remember watching this. The announcers told us some of his story and the harder he tried the louder the crowd cheered him on... why? Because Aussies love an underdog. I remember the announcers mentioning that he learnt to swim in crocodile infested waters and saying to my family 'doesn't matter his time - c*nts a winner in my book' *added info - part the reason he was able to attend was because the Australia offered to pay for any competitors to attend.
F# yeah Bra!!! my thoughts exactly! i think we wrote similar reviews cos it was so true. we were all there with him! every stoke and gasp for air. like looking into the mirror of Aus! Beautiful words you beautiful C#nt! (I'm usually a little more eloquent but, yeah nah bro! this needed the lingo too)
I loved every bit of this story. I hope he gets to hold his "Record" until the end of written history. Super heart warming and fun. All the way down to getting swimming pools for his country and getting to be a coach. What a legend.
An average man forced into extraordinary circumstances. Wow! I can’t imagine how long those 2minutes must have felt. Pure anxiety keeping him afloat. Hilarious animation too.
This is so wholesome. I'm proud of Eric the Eel. What a gentleman he is. Absolute genuine sportsmanship all around. Also congratulations on your first video where nobody dies!
The Olympics is the 'best of the best' ... the athletes there have sacrificed almost every other aspect of their lives in order to push themselves beyond what was thought possible. It is an INCREDIBLE ACHIEVEMENT TO COMPETE IN THE OLYMPICS! To allow an unskilled and unqualified random to occupy a lane (and therefore kill the dreams of another dedicated athlete that rightly deserved to be there instead) is a slap in the face to those that sacrifice so much. This is not a condemnation of the person, but a failure by the Olympics organization. I give him great credit for sticking it out and finishing, and even more credit for becoming a coach to teach others in a community that may have been lacking in this area.
@@mmaxx6786 No no. You dont understand. We want to make a couple of "totally average person" for perspective. Imagine if there is 100 competitors, we would just put 2 regular persons doing the same task, however these regular humans are not competing, they are just showing how impressive are the athletes in comparison by giving us, the avergae Joe, some perspective.
the animation of him swimming, almost drowning was gold👏👏lol. This is an amazing story. If I was there I would have been standing and cheering so much! He did what he could and kept the Olympic spirit going. He made his country proud! He never gave up. Not gonna lie, I had tears in my eyes. Great video 👏👏
I remember another story like this with a Venezuelan cross country skier at the Winter Olympics a few years back. Couldn’t ski. Way more exciting to watch than the real skiers though
Oh boy... I'm expecting broken legs, hope I'm wrong! edit: nevermind, the link is for a cinnamon recipe video 😑 reported. If I wanna make cinnamons I'll look it up myself... I wanna see this Venezuelan skiing! I'll look for it
I remember this he was cheered on by everyone who shouted out encouragement, everyone loved him the whole stadium stood up cheered him on I know we were watching on TV and even people at home were cheering him on he was the star of the olympics we all fell in love with him. He showed that anything was possible when you are given the chance.
@@MNNski god damnit, you fooled me that the video was about Johnny Depp and not food. So I checked it and it is 100 percent about food. You're working for the bots aren't you?
no, i dont think thats the right term for this failing upwards is just getting in better positions (money fame power etc) by doing a bad job/failing at your job this guy didnt do a bad job, he was just a guy taking on a challenge that is way out of his league, and by luck and determination became a symbol for trying even when wholly outclassed and out of your depth
I loved watching this live back in the day, everyone was cheering this guy on and went wild like it was a good show when he completed the lap. No animosity, no one laughing at him, just the world cheering this guy on because he had never done it before. I doubt we will see anything like it again, sadly.
At 11:39 the cut back to young Qxir in arm bands, goggles and a float around his waist got me good 😂. Been a fan of yours for a few years now. I can tell how much work must’ve gone into this one and I totally appreciate the effort. Thanks man!
This video was SO GOOD. I don’t know how you manage to make it so funny and so touching at the same time. About halfway through the conqueror speech, I started giggling because I could sense it would go horribly, but I was not prepared for the way you depicted his race. I nearly died laughing. Then the way he fought through, despite wanting to quit, the crowd being damn decent humans, the coach who helped him. It had everything. Well done. Well done. I’ll admit I cried a little by the end.
He literally swam in waterways that has the potential to hold crocodiles, Goliath tigerfish, hippo's, elephants, etc. This man is made of Metal and he doesn't even know it. He is very endearing of a person. Just honest, himself, and it seemed to captivate everyone, even tho the crowd at the Olympics is probably the most stuck up and judgmental crowd of people ever, so that means a lot that he won them over.
As a child, our school had a swimming sports day in the "ivy baths" in Dublin. We were never given any swimming lessons and nobody knew who could swim and who could not. We were invited to take part in a race by the teachers and duly lined up for a race. Upon the start of the race. the kids dived in and maybe half of them went straight under, unable to swim. Splashing in the deep end boobing up and down, drowning.. Nobody did drown and we all just went on as normal as if nothing happened. Its true circa 1979.
As much as I love the insane stories of Tales from the Bottle, this was one of the best. We could all use some feel good story this year, goodness knows I could. And this one was hilariously perfect while embodying humanity as a whole. It's the spirit of determination, hope, & solidarity (crowds & South African coach) that somehow keeps our species existing & not end in a sanguine carnage similar to a meth fueled chimpanzee battle royale.
The Olympics has a glorious history of underdogs. This reminded me of our Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards. A brit ski jumper that came a stunningly brave last in his event. I mean, it's one thing having the guts to go ski jumping if you're good at it. But it's a totally different kind of bravery looking down that slope when you KNOW you're terrible at it! "Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"
That beginning anecdote was actually quite chilling for me, as I have almost drowned thrice in my relatively short lifetime, once at a local swimming pool at a very young age, twice at Lake Monroe, when I had gone out too far.
I’ve been a fan of Qxir for quite some time and have enjoyed so many incredible stories. And To be honest, I’m even surprising myself on this a little: this was my absolute favorite Qxir video thus far. Not only was it an outstanding “feel-good” story but it was also absolutely hilarious thanks to the animation and storytelling. (Hell most of your videos are hilarious, and I really wasn’t expecting this video to reach the top of my list, but the audio and illustration for the 100m swim alone was so god damn funny that this immediately became my favorite)! Thanks again Qxir for another amazing addition to your catalog!
Dude has only homebrew training and gifted swimtrunks and goggles. And he did it. The guy had the eyes of the world on him and he succeeded. And so did his counter-part in the women's competition. Both went to the Olypics and gave it their best. That's pretty fuckin' cool.
I just felt like a golden boy reference was coming and low and behold there it was. Great video as per usual. Also fantastic story, what an actual legend be actually smashed it fair play to him
Honestly, this guy is a bit of a hero. Against all odds, with nearly no training, and definitely no proper training… he makes really interesting videos for the world and history.
@stupid Cat Literally nobody else showed up for that lauded position but him. And this isn't about careers. This is about sportsmanship, pushing yourself, and not giving up. I'm actually genuinely sorry that you and a few other people here cant see that even though everyone in that crowd understood it. I don't understand what makes people look at a heartwarming story of perseverance and spit and sneer besides depression, but ftr every person in this comment section who claims to actually familiar with what he pulled off also point out a normie like him with almost no real practice would be unlikely to get further than halfway through the first lap. He really did actually achieve something.
I remember seeing him swim. I was shocked and, though it wasn't my country, proud. Seriously, how many athletes that day pushed as hard as he did? He couldn't possibly have been physically prepared, but he finished anyway.
I also peacefully accepted death. It was about 20 years ago, although a much more violent situation than drowning. It was so strange, everything was black, and I kinda said/thought to myself "this is how I die". Absolutely no panic, felt no need to fight it. Although before that point I was fighting it like a cornered anamial. Hadn't thought of that for quite a while. Weird how similar it was for both of us. Always enjoy the vids!
Your writing has come a long way. I have always enjoyed your comedy and presentation style, but this episode's writing and structure was next level. Keep up the good work.
Qxir this has to be in the top 5 of your most hilarious videos. I was laughing to the point of near unconsciousness when he jumped into the pool and beyond
He swam at the Olympics, in front of the eyes of thousands of people. He had every right to be there, because he _did it._ He gave it his all. Truly everything he had. And if that's not something to be admired, i don't know what is. Never let go of that ladder to your dreams. Even when you know, there's no way you can reach the top.
That man had the heart of a champion and the bravery of a lion. Well said, they truly captured the spirit of the Olympics. Bravo to the fans! That's a true coach stepping up and helping a rival competitor. Inspiring story, thanks for sharing!
Honestly, I could never have imagined coming home to a story that filled me with so much joy and warmth. The people getting behind him, cheering him on, his not giving up, and the way you illustrate, narrate....this story was pure gold!
Props to Eric honestly, a man completely out of his depth with little training under his belt still went out and tried his absolute best to bring a gold home to his country. Utmost respect to him
I did a presentation on Equatorial Guinea for my Spanish class and talked about Eric for the section about sports. I'm glad that you discovered him and his story.
Happy to see my sport represented on this fine establishment of a channel, and it didn't even involve someone dying, being injured, getting swindled, or making a fool of themselves! I remember finishing a 200 Butterfly in a very similar condition to him, and let me tell you I fully understand the feeling of your body not wanting to move another inch and the only thing propelling you forward is the determination to finish the dam race lol. Was sick for 2 days after. One of my teammates is from a neighboring country to EG so I should share this with him, he'd have a good laugh at this.
I remember that "race". He was the embodiment of the Olympic spirit, as were those who supported him, both technically and via the crowd's encouragement. I actually choked up a bit when he finished! As you said, though, it wasn't that he and his compatriot were sporting heroes, but they left one hell of a legacy with those first pools being built!
I remember watching "Eric the Eel". The moment that the crowd got behind him and cheered was huge, it felt like anyone could be a hero given the right circumstances. It was clear he didnt really belong in an olympic swimming race, but the fact he was still giving it his best shot was everything.
I view this in a different way. Here in Australia we always root for the underdog. I remember watching in my classroom and we were all screaming for Eric. Eric the Eel is not a name we laugh at…instead shows us how far determination and strength of will can take you! Fuck yes Eric, Fuck yes!
That animation of his swimming is spot on, not of his actual swimming mind you, but how my first time in the deep end, swimming back to where I could stand up. Big cheers mate! Always appreciate laughing till I cry with your perfect delivery of great content.
Such an excellent video. Thank you! I do respect the man. He had no formal training, no experience, no idea. Man went from “not swimming” to “swimming in the olympics” in a year. It took 3 days of travel to get him there. He was thrown into battle naked, with no training, no knowledge, and no real preparation. How could we expect him to do any better? I respect the athletes that train hard in every which way to succeed. But I also respect this man, because he performed well. He swam 100m in front of 17,000 people when he had never swam 100m before in his life. That… Is absolutely insane. What a legend.
What a heartwarming story. Despite his and her performances, it's still an amazing feat. If I was in his situation I would have probably shit myself in the pool, but this man finished the race out of pure will and determination. I can only imagine it was a similar situation for the girl
Dude no lie, the story of how you almost drown is exactly what happened to me but I was white water rafting. Only different was I had a lift jacket. The panicking I was doing was literally killing me in a situation I would have been completely fine in if I just sat there, which I realized when I finally gave up 😂. Still your story made my eyes watery remembering that day. What a stupid idea to go rafting and not know how to swim.
It's really not about the story but about your presentation. Gotta admit - as much as I'd love to see more stories - your careful selection helps a lot, too.
A real hero is not someone who has super powers, like Superman. He is someone who without having powers and knowing that he has everything to lose, still tries and gives his best. An example of life.
