The true Olympian spirit: US runner helps Kiwi athlete get up after a fall

The US runner was seriously injured but still managed to complete the race despite being in pain.
The true Olympian spirit: US runner helps Kiwi athlete get up after a fall
The true Olympian spirit: US runner helps Kiwi athlete get up after a fall
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In a move of true sportsmanship, New Zealand runner Nikki Hamblin was helped up by her US counterpart Abbey D'Agostino after the former fell down on the course after a collision during the 5000m running event in the Rio Olympics.

The runners were four laps from the end of the race when the incident took place.

The Guardian reported:

Hamblin, bunched tightly in the mass of running women, stumbled and fell face forwards, causing her US competitor D’Agostino – who was running directly behind her – to hit the track as well, falling on the side of her body. As Hamblin lay in the foetal position on the track D’Agostino jumped up quickly and pulled the New Zealander to her feet. Moments after the two athletes had started running again, D’Agostino began faltering, her right leg injured as a result of the fall.

Speaking to a media outlet after the race, Hamblin said "When I went down it was like, ‘what’s happening? Why am I on the ground?' And suddenly there’s this hand on my shoulder, like ‘get up, get up, we have to finish this!’ I’m so grateful for Abbey for doing that for me. That girl is the Olympic spirit right there...I’ve never met her before. Isn’t that so amazing?”

Abbey D'Agostino was seriously injured but still managed to complete the race despite being in pain.

ESPN reported that she was carted off the track in a wheelchair and an MRI later showed a complete tear of her right ACL, a meniscus tear, and a strained MCL.

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