Rio 2016: Fallen runners share Olympic spirit
Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and Abbey D'Agostino of the U.S. shake hands after competing in a heat of the 5000m in Rio de Janeiro. / AP-Yonhap
By Choi Ha-young
Nikki Hamblin from New Zealand was crying on the track after she and Abbey D’Agostino from the U.S. clipped legs and fell in a heat of the women’s 5,000m in Rio on Monday.
“Get up. We have to finish this,” D’Agostino told Hamblin, reaching out her hand, according to the Associated Press. Once both were upright, it was obvious D’Agostino had come off second-best from the collision and she went down again.
Then, Hamblin encouraged her to complete the race. Hamblin stayed with her until the finish line and they hugged each other in tears. D’Agostino was then put in a wheelchair.
“I’ve never met her before,” Hamblin said of D’Agostino after the race. “(She is) such an amazing woman.
“If I can even give her back 1 percent of what she gave me when she helped me get back up off the track that would be amazing.”
The two athletes were given entry to Saturday’s final despite the accident, after referees decided the collision was not intentional. It remains uncertain whether D’Agostino will run because of her injury.