Prevailing wrote on Jul 31
st, 2012 at 2:18pm:
The worst thing is that these losers let down everyone who invested time, money and emotion into them - their families, their team mates, their coaches and their country...they are a disgrace and too much of our economy is invested into sports...
Well not really. They mightn't be the world number 1, but they're still pretty buggeren good to even make it to the olympics. Unless of course we're talking about the joke competitors who we're supposed to cheer for their 'spirit" like eddie the eagel, eric the eel and the latest addition to the catalgoue of olympic parasites, Hamadou Djibo Issaka. Rather than encourage him with calls of "you can do it" I'd have rathered security remove him from the course, beat him with their batons and put him on the first plane back to Nigeria...or better yet, give hima cnaoe and a paddle. We'll see how much of a joke he thinks it is when he's forced to row back to Africa. Encouraging him only makes a further mockery of the olympic ideals.
Quote:You can do it," roared the announcer at Dorney Lake. Some of the crowd were on their feet, urging him on to the line.
No, this wasn't a British rower sprinting for gold. This was Hamadou Djibo Issaka, crawling to the finishing hooter in last place in a single sculls repechage at the London Olympics.
It wasn't quite "Eric the Eel" of Sydney Games fame - but it wasn't far off.
Djibo Issaka, a 35-year-old Nigerian, only learnt how to row three months ago but was given a wildcard to the London Olympics "to strengthen the principle of universal representation."
With a less-than-impressive technique and with the tank almost empty, he slumped over as he crossed the line on Sunday in 8 minutes 39.66 seconds - nearly 1.40 minutes behind the race winner.
Fellow wildcard Eric Moussambani also became a fan and media favourite at the Sydney Games in 2000 with his awkward technique and slow performances.
His one minute, 52.72 seconds in the 100 metres freestyle heats was more than double that of leading competitors and even outside the 200-metre world record.
Earlier this year, the Eel was named the Equatorial Guinea Olympic swimming team coach but the country did not bring a team to London.