“By far the best part of my Olympics experience has been the community it creates, what the Games symbolizes”, D’Agostino said.
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By now, we’ve all probably seen that lovely moment when Abbey D’Agostino of the United States collided with Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand in a women’s 5000m qualifying race.
The 24-year-old won widespread praise for stopping to help Hamblin to her feet after the New Zealander tripped and fell, taking D’Agostino down with her. “She was pretty bad”, said Hamblin after the race. “I can’t even put into words how incredible it is that she actually finished”. This is the Olympics Games. “We have to finish this, ‘” Hamblin later said.
Hamblin later told a New Zealand radio station: “When I look back on Rio 2016, I’m not going to remember where I finished, I’m not going to remember my time. but I’ll always remember that moment”.
Now that’s what you call Olympic spirit!
“Then in a split second, there was a woman on the ground in front of me, I tripped on her, someone behind me tripped on me, and I was on the ground. Such an awesome woman”, Hamblin said in a later interview.
Per ESPN.com news services, an MRI revealed D’Agostino suffered a torn ACL, a meniscus tear and a strained MCL in her right knee because of the collision. Suddenly, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
“She could hardly stand”, Hamblin said. Nevertheless, Hambin waited at the finish line for D’Agostino, who finished last. “So it was not surprising at all to see someone else going down, and at the same time, (Abbey’s) first instinct was to help that person up”. Hamblin stayed with her until it she was able to continue under her own power. “I’m never going to forget that moment”.
Grimacing, she refused to give up, though, running almost half the race with the injury.
Olympic officials have made a decision to take exception to the two runners, stating that both Hamblin and D’Agnostino would return in Friday’s upcoming race.
As they continued the race, it became clear that D’Agostino’s injury was the more serious and her ankle had been badly hurt.
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D’Agostino hobbled over the finish line, with the two embracing before both runners were put through to the final by the track officials.
