Entering the Olympics, athletes have three things in mind: Gold, Silver, and Bronze. But what happened with these two incredible runners shows us what the Olympics are really about, and it’s amazing. Upworthy shares the Olympian story Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino will never forget.
The scene probably felt like something out of a nightmare for Olympic runners Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and Abbey D’Agostino of the U.S. The two Olympians were competing in the women’s (downright grueling) 5,000-meter race in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 16, 2016, when they got tangled up on the congested track. Hamblin fell, and D’Agostino — who was right behind her and unable to avoid a collision — tumbled to the ground as well. But instead of continuing onward right away, D’Agostino got to her feet, then stopped running. She checked to make sure Hamblin made it back onto her feet as well. And that, in itself, was noteworthy in a competitive Olympic event.
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However, that’s only half the story.
D’Agostino twisted her right knee in the collision. And although she began running again, the pain came back. A few moments after the runners’ initial impact, D’Agostino stopped due to the pain, collapsing on the bright blue track again.
This time, though, it was Hamblin’s turn to lend her a helping hand.
D’Agostino and Hamblin — the last two athletes to finish the race — sacrificed better finish times to make sure the other was OK. It certainly wasn’t easy as D’Agostino staggered her way through portions of the remaining laps cringing in pain. But the two runners showed the world that gold, silver, and bronze take a backseat to good sportsmanship.
To read D’Agostino and Hamblin’s happy ending from Upworthy, just click here.
