As New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin competed in the 5,000 meters Tuesday at Rio 2016, she stumbled and fell, accidentally tripping Abbey D’Agostino of the US.
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The runners were four laps from the end of the race when the incident took place.
In a classic act of sportsmanship, the US’ female representative in the 5,000-meter run made a decision to forego the race to help out her fallen opponent at the Rio Olympics on Wednesday.
With Hamblin lying on the floor behind her, D’Agostino, managing to get up, refused to continue the race. “Then suddenly this hand on my shoulder, like ‘get up, get up, we have to finish this” and I was like, ‘yep, you’re right.’ This is the Olympic Games-we have to finish this”.
D’Agostino has received near-universal praise for her post-fall actions, with many calling it a display of true Olympic spirit and class. “Isn’t that so wonderful?”
“Come on, get up”, D’Agostino told Hamblin, who recalled the encounter for USA Today. But this morning it was revealed that she had actually suffered a complete tear of her right ACL, a meniscus tear, and a strained MCL.
“I was like: ‘Yup, you’re right”, Hamblin continued. Abbey also stated, “I’ve never met this girl before, and isn’t that just so wonderful, such an incredible woman”.
Hamblin and D’Agostino set aside their own hopes of making the final to look out for a fellow competitor. “And isn’t that just so awesome?” When someone asks me what happened in Rio in 20 years time, that is my story. I’ve never met her before. When I turned around at the finish line and she s still running I was like, Wow. Even though Hamblin appeared to be uninjured, she went back to D’Agostino to help her up.
The American runner who ran alongside New Zealander Nikki Hamblin after they tripped over each other in Rio yesterday has pulled out of tomorrow’s final – but she’ll be in the stands cheering for Hamblin.
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“Since the night of the opening ceremonies, I have been so touched by this-people from all corners of globe, embracing their unique cultures, yet all uniting under one celebration of the human body, mind, and spirit”, she said.
