RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (WHDH) - An easy pick.
In the women’s 5,000-meter heat, Abbey D’Agostino of the U.S. and New Zealand’s Nikki Hamblin — strangers before that day — were involved in a tumble.
D’Agostino helped Hamblin up, encouraging her to finish the race.
D’Agostino tore a knee ligament in the fall and obviously couldn’t finish.
Hamblin wound up finishing last of 17 in the 5,000 final, so neither left with a medal.
Instead, they got so much more.
“That girl is the Olympic spirit right there,” Hamblin said of D’Agostino. “I’ve never met her before. Like I never met this girl before. And isn’t that just so amazing?”
Yes, it is.
D’Agostino and Hamblin were honored over the weekend by the International Olympic Committee for her sportsmanship.
They were presented with a “Fair Play” award.
(Copyright (c) 2023 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)