RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) – New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin was lying on the track, dazed after a heavy fall and with her hopes of an Olympic medal over. Suddenly, there was a hand on her shoulder and a voice in her ear: “Get up. We have to finish this.”
It was American Abbey D’Agostino, offering to help.
“I was like, “Yup, yup, you’re right. This is the Olympics Games. We have to finish this,'” Hamblin said.
It was a scene to warm the hearts of fans during a qualifying heat of the women’s 5,000 meters. Hamblin and D’Agostino set aside their own hopes of making the final to look out for a fellow competitor.
It started when D’Agostino clipped Hamblin from behind and they both went sprawling with about 2,000 meters to go.