“I was like, “Yup, yup, you’re right”. The scene is now infamous for epitomizing the spirit of the Olympic Games. D’Agostino recovered quickly and extended her hand to Hamblin who was just lying on the tracks, crying.
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The pair were subsequently given places in the 5,000m final after the United States of America and New Zealand teams successfully protested.
D’Agostino eventually finished in last place but Hamblin was waiting at the finish line.
“Come on, get up”, D’Agostino told Hamblin, who recalled the encounter for USA Today. She appeared to be crying.
D’Agostino helped Hamblin get up from the track after the collision, and Hamblin returned the favor when D’Agostino tried to continue the race but was in too much pain to resume a competitive pace.
Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and Abbey D’Agostino of US embrace post race.
“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”, she said. And I know that she’s young and she’s going to have so many more opportunities. And isn’t that just so wonderful. Such an fantastic woman. Both runners fell and helped each other up as they struggled.
“She’s still very young for a distance runner”. I’ve never met her before. She stayed with Hamblin till she got back on her feet and started moving again. It was a moment that Hamblin has said she will never forget.
She waited for her new friend to cross the line – D’Agostino had been lapped – and they hugged.
The girls may get a chance to redeem their times in the August 19 finals, but with or without a record time or a medal, they’ll be the ones who are remembered for representing what the Olympics are all about. Following the race, the 24-year-old was carted off the track in a wheelchair and an MRI revealed that she had a torn ACL, a meniscus tear, and a strained MCL in her right knee.
After the race, Hamblin said: “She helped me first”.
“When someone asks me what happened in Rio in 20 years” time, that is my story”, Hamblin said after the race.
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Suddenly this hand was on my shoulder, like, “Get up, get up, we have to finish this” and I was like, ‘Yup, yup, you’re right.
