XXIX Olympiad in Beijing, August 8-24-It’s a dream come true, says Didon |21 August 2008

His exploits came in the National Aquatic Centre, nicknamed the Water Cube, in Beijing after nine exciting days of fierce competition. A total of 32 gold medals were awarded and 25 world records shattered.

Phelps got a lot of good press for his golden achievement and he deserved it.

Like Phelps, Seychellois swimmer Dwayne Didon got some publicity in Beijing – not for winning a gold medal or a medal of any hue, but for his golden experience. At 13 years old he was the youngest male competitor at the 29th Olympiad.

An article written by Lou Chen and published on Sunday August 17 said the Olympics were Didon’s gold medal.

“It’s a dream coming true. Every day I dreamed of coming to the Olympics,” Didon was quoted as saying.
In another article entitled ‘13-year-old swimmer wants to challenge Phelps’ and dated August 14, it was written that Didon’s goals are bigger than Phelps’.

“I haven’t met Phelps, but I have seen him and stood next to him. Wow, he is a big guy! He really inspires me to be better in the future. I want to be better than him for the 2012 Olympics in London,” said Didon before Phelps won his record-breaking eight gold medals.

Didon, who started swimming when he was nine, did not disappoint on his Olympic debut on Thursday August 14. Swimming in lane six of heat number three, he clocked a personal best time of 28.95 seconds in the 50m freestyle. His previous best was 29.03 seconds.

Competing as an invitee, Didon was fourth out of eight competitors in his heat and finished 85th overall out of 97 swimmers in 13 heats.

Speaking to Catherine Bremer of Reuters news agency, Didon said: “When my parents told me I might be going to the Olympics I thought it couldn’t be true. When my friends at school heard the news they thought I was playing a joke on them. It’s like a dream.”

The soft-spoken swimmer put his rapid success down to doing push-ups and the daily shots of vitamins from mangoes and papayas he plucks from trees in his garden when he comes back from training.

“I’m strong. I’m 13 but I’m doing the same time as some of the ones who are 14 and 18,” said Didon, who will turn 14 on September 11.

Cameroon female swimmer Antoinette Guedia was the youngest athlete in Beijing. She is 12 years and 10 months old.

G. G.