SYDNEY, Australia — The Olympics can create strange sports heroes.
Capturing the spotlight so far at the Sydney Summer Games Tuesday: Eric Moussambani, a swimmer from the central African nation of Equatorial Guinea who had only learned to swim nine months earlier and who had never competed in an indoor 50-meter pool before.
Moussambani swam alone in his Tuesday heat of the men's 100 meters, since the other two scheduled in the heat — opponents from Niger and Tajikistan — had been disqualified because of false starts.
For the record, Moussambani's time in the 100 was longer than what Australia's Ian Thorpe posted in the men's 200 meters. But Moussambani already has earned offers of free new-design, body-length swimsuits from swimwear manufacturers.
Said Thorpe of Moussambani: "I saw it on TV like everyone else, and that was quite amazing — the cheer that he got swimming that race, that was quite incredible. That's what the Olympics are all about — athletes from around the world having the opportunity to swim at the biggest event that there is."
FOLLOWING YOUR DREAM TEAM: Wondering what the U.S. men's basketball team and its $2.57 billion net worth is up to in Sydney? Well, the Daily Telegraph — one of Australia's leading tabloid newspapers — has it covered for the Sydneysiders.
In Wednesday's edition of the Daily Telegraph, readers were treated to a Page 3 expose — with several color photos — on the American hoopsters' exploits about town following their dismantling of Italy, 93-61, on Tuesday afternoon.
Inquiring minds certainly wanted to know about the 30-member Dream Team entourage, which included "five excited Australian women"; the six hours spent drinking and lounging at the club at the Star City Casino at Darling Harbor; and the expletive-laced banter between Tim Hardaway and a female companion who wanted the Miami Heat star to call it a night.
Bonus coverage included the entourage's $83.50 tab of "take away" food at a local Hungry Jack's, the Aussie version of Burger King, detailing the purchase of Double Whoppers and chicken sandwiches, and an exclusive interview with the counter clerk who closed the deal.
AFTER THE GOLD: What did winning the gold medal in the women's team epee event mean for Russian fencer Karina Aznavourian?
"It means maybe now I can marry my boyfriend and have a baby," said Aznavourian, whose gold in Sydney came on her 26th birthday. "After baby, I want to fence again and try for another gold in Athens in 2004."
COURTING A SWEEP: Tennis star Lindsay Davenport, who needed just 50 minutes to beat Argentina's Paola Suarez in Wednesday's opening round of the women's singles tennis tournament, is looking for an American sweep in the event. Joining her are fellow Americans Venus Williams and Monica Seles.
"We were talking before we came here that obviously we would like to sweep the medals," Davenport said. "We think we have a good chance to do that."
AN AUSSIE 'HEIDI': Australian TV viewers now have their own "Heidi" broadcast glitch.
Americans recall the AFL playoff game three decades ago, when network broadcasters opted to switch away from the final minutes of the New York Jets' thrilling victory over the Oakland Raiders in order to start the scheduled showing of the movie "Heidi."
Seems as though Sydney's local Olympic station, Channel Seven, missed the start of the women's 200-meter freestyle swimming event Tuesday night, which was won by local favorite Susie O'Neill. The network figures some six million Aussie viewers didn't join the broadcast until well into the race, while others missed O'Neill's medal ceremony altogether.
Instead of O'Neill's start, Channel Seven viewers were treated to extended coverage of a Qantas Airlines commercial.
PRECIOUS MEDALS: Australia is rewarding its gold-medal winners with an AU$15,000 bonus, with silver medalists receiving half that amount at $7,500 and bronze medalists a third at $5,000.
The Australian Olympic Committee has set aside $1.8 million to cover its Medal Reward Scheme.
"In the case where Australia goes wild and wins a swag of medals, the AOC is insured against exceptional medal performance from $2 million to $2.5 million," said AOC director of Athlete and corporate relations.
Still, Aussies are bemoaning the falling Australian dollar, which is now worth about 55 cents in U.S. currency. So, each of Ian Thorpe's gold medals is worth about only $8,333 in American currency.
E-MAIL: taylor@desnews.com