Distance runners Abby D’Agostino of the United States and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand had never met before they lined up for the start of the women’s 5000 meters preliminary heats at the Rio Olympics Tuesday.
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Abbey D’Agostino said Wednesday that her season was over after the tumble during the 5,000m race yesterday.
Hamblin later exclaimed her astonishment at D’Agostino’s kindness, declaring “that girl is the Olympic spirit”.
“I just keep thinking about how that spirit of unity and peace is stronger than all the global strife we’re bombarded with and saddened by on a daily basis”, she said.
Just after the rescue, D’Agostino collapsed to the ground, unable to continue – but this time, it was Hamblin who stayed to help her.
When they first went down, it was D’Agostino (who easily could have blamed Hamblin for her fall and left her behind) who went back to help Hamblin, who was still on the ground and appeared to be in a great deal of pain.
Both runners continued to finish the race, and both qualified for the final.
“And if I could even give her one per cent back of what she gave me when she helped me get off the track, that would be fantastic”.
“When I got up I thought I was going to be fine and then my knee kind of like buckled in and I was like, ‘alright, well that’s not right, but I know I can keep going”, she said.
“If I can even give her like one percent back of what she gave me when she helped me get up off the track that would be awesome”, Hamblin continued. “I can’t even put into words how wonderful it is that she actually finished”.
“We’re not going to remember how we felt after the race, Abbey’s not going to remember how bad her knee hurt, you don’t remember that stuff”.
The athletes have been lauded for their sportsmanship and for epitomising the Olympic spirit.
“I’m never going to forget that moment”, Hamblin said. And isn’t that just so unbelievable.
“I went down, and I was like, “What’s happening?” But the camera then came back to D’Agostino and she was back on her feet and running again.
Harwick said the 2014 graduate was a hard-working athlete who won multiple awards during her time at Dartmouth. “When someone asks me what happened in Rio in 20 years’ time, that’s my story”. D’Agostino, who has previously run 15:03 in the event, finished last in 17:10.02.
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Both Hamblin and D’Agostino were subsequently promoted to the 5000m final on Friday.
