Olympians have access to the most advanced and cutting edge technology, sports science, and training regiments, but some prefer to keep things simple!
Now we are going to have a look at the top Olympians who train for the Olympics games in their own backyard!
5. ERIC MOUSSAMBANI (GEQ)- SWIMMING
4. LUIZA GEGA (ALB)- 3000m STEEPLECHASE
3. LETICIA BUFONI (BRA)- SKATEBOARDING
2. JULIUS YEGO (KEN)- JAVELIN THROW
1. RENAUD LAVILLENIE (FRA)- POLE VAULT
let's get started!
5. ERIC MOUSSAMBANI (GEQ)- SWIMMING
Eric moussambani malonga is a swimmer from equatorial guinea. Nicknamed "Eric the Eel" by the media. Moussambani won brief international fame at the 2000 summer Olympics for an extremely unlikely victory. Moussambani who has never seen an Olympic sized swimming pool before. swam his heat off 100m freestyle on 19th September in an unprecedentedly time of 1:52.72. This was the slowest time in the Olympic history by far and Moussambani apparently had trouble finishing the race, but he had completed his heat after both his competitors were disqualified due to false start. While Moussambani's time was too slow to follow up to the next level, he set a new personal best and an Equatoguinean record. He later became the coach of the national swimming squad of the equatorial guinea.
Check Also: How Moussambani inspired a generation.
4. LUIZA GEGA (ALB)- 3000m STEEPLECHASE
Luiza gega is an Albanian athlete specializing in middle-distance-running. She is the only record holder in the Albanian running in the 800,1500,3000m as well as 3000m steeplechase.
LUIZA'S PERSONAL BEST SCORES
OUTDOOR
1. 800m 02:01.31 (tibillisi 2014)
2. 1500m 04:02.63 (Qatar athletic super grand prix, doha, Qatar 15 may 2015)
3. 3000m 08:53.78 (Elbasan 2016)
4. 5000m 15:46.89 (tirane 2014)
5. 3000m steeplechase 09:26.05 (oslo 2017)
INDOOR
1. 800m 02:02.27 (Piraeus 2017)
2. 1500m 04:06.66 (Istanbul 2017)
3. 3000m 08:52.53 (Eaubonne 2017)
3. LETICIA BUFONI (BRA)- SKATEBOARDING
Leticia bufoni e silva is a Brazillian professional street skateboarder. She is a 5 times X game gold medallist. she has 3.4 million fans across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
currently, Bufoni is preparing for the 2020 summer Olympics in Tokyo, where skateboarding will be a part of the game for the first time.
Bufoni was 14 when she went to southern California to compete in the X game. She is a 5 time X game gold medallist. She tied Elissa Steamer's decade-old record for most gold in Women's SKB Street with her win at XG Shanghai 2019. Overall she earned six straight medals in X Games Women's SKB Street (2010–2014) as well as the title in Shanghai 2019.
Bufoni was ranked the #1 women’s street skateboarder by World Cup of Skateboarding four years in a row 2010–2013 and appeared in The Guinness Book of World Records (2017) for the "Most Wins Of The World Cup of Skateboarding. In 2013, I was nominated for an ESPY Award – Best Female Action Sports Athlete.
In 2015, she won the first Street League Skateboarding Women’s SLS Super Crown World Championship in Chicago, IL. She also appeared in the ESPN Magazine – The Body Issue.
In 2018, Forbes named Bufoni one of The Most Powerful Women In International Sports for 2018 (#25) and made Sports Pro Media's list for The World’s Most Marketable Athletes for 2018 (#41). Further in 2018, she was named to the Forbes Brazil "Under 30" list.
Bufoni is the official athlete representative for World Skate, the International Olympic Committee-recognized governing body for Skateboarding.
2. JULIUS YEGO (KEN)- JAVELIN THROW
Julius Yego is a Kenyan track and field athlete who competes in the javelin throw. Nicknamed "Mr. YouTube" because he learned to throw by watching youtube videos of javelin players. Julius Yego is the African record and Commonwealth record holder for the event with the personal best of 92.72m.
He won the javelin title at the All-Africa games in 2011 and at the African championship in athletics in 2012 and 2014; at the 2013 world championship, he placed fourth, losing a medal in the final round. In 2014 he became the first Kenyan to win the commonwealth game gold medal in a field event. At the 2015 world championship, he won the gold with a throw of 92.72m, becoming the first Kenyan to win a championship gold medal in a field event. He won a silver medal in the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
1. RENAUD LAVILLENIE (FRA)- POLE VAULT
Renaud Lavillenie is a French pole vaulter. He is the current world record holder with a height of 6.16m (20ft 2.5inch) set indoors on 15 February 2014. Lavillenie won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London and silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. In addition to his Olympics success, he has won 3 world indoor championships gold medal, 3 European championships gold medal and 4 European indoor championships gold medals he has also won 4 bronze medal and 1 silver medal at the world championships. As of 25 August 2016, he holds the French national record for the highest pole vault clearance both outdoors (6.05 m) and indoors (6.16 m). He has been the pole vault overall winner of the IAAF diamond league in 7 consecutive years from 2010 to 2016.
Outside pole vaulting, Lavillenie is a keen motorcyclist, and raced in the 2013 le mans 24hrs for motorcycle, finishing 25th. Lavillenie subsequently entered the 2014 race, aiming for a top 20 finish. Lavillenie's younger brother valentine Lavillenie is also a pole vaulter.
Watch More here on YouTube Channel: Top 5 Athletes who Train in their Backyard!
