Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D’Agostino win rare Olympic medal for sportsmanship
Abbey D'Agostino and Nikki Hamblin's fall become one of the iconic moments of the Rio 2016 Olympics. The two have just won a rare Olympic medal for the sportsmanship that they demonstrated on the track.
Their story was one that caught global attention and became one of the feel-good stories of the Rio 2016 Olympics.
When runners Abbey D’Agostino and Nikki Hamblin went down in the women’s 5,000m heats on  Aug. 16, the two sacrificed their time and place in the Olympic race to help each other out. The two runners collided on the eighth lap of the race when Hamblin (of New Zealand) tripped and brought her American competitor down with her.
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When the two got up, D’Agostino stayed back to help Hamblin but fell to the track again with her pain being quite obvious. Hamblin waited until she was ready to run and the two continued on in the race. They both made it across the line in the last two places– Hamblin running 16:43 and D’Agostino running 17:10. She was taken away in a wheelchair upon finishing.
It was a touching moment that shook out of the track portion of the Games in Brazil. The two were also given the go-ahead to participate in the finals. That was a move that was popular among spectators who watched the pair give up precious time from their race result to encourage one another. Hamblin went ahead in the finals while D’Agostino couldn’t run having suffered three injuries, including a torn ACL.
Because of the sportsmanship that the two athletes showed on the track, they have been given a rare Olympic award. The Pierre de Coubertin medal has only been awarded 17 times in history. It is given to athletes who demonstrate the true spirit of sport.
“The D’Agostino and Hamblin story is one of humanity and sacrifice which has already captured the hearts of people across the globe,” read the statement from the International Olympic Committee.
Both athletes were thankful for the other in a moment which entirely changed their Olympic race and will forever be a highlight of their careers. Hamblin went ahead to run the women’s 5,000m finals and finished in 17th place running a season’s best time of 16:14.24.
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