Do it for the team: High school runner gets spiked in the face and still finishes
Cameron Riedy took a hard fall during the 4x800m relay at the New Balance indoor nationals meet and still finished despite a bloody face and singlet.
I've never had so many likes and retweets I need to bust my head more often
— Cameron Riedy (@Cameronriedy) March 12, 2016
Cameron Riedy had just finished making a big move to bridge the gap from fourth place up to the leaders when he was bumped to the ground during the 4x800m relay at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in New York City.
Riedy, a part of the Hickory track team in section three of the emerging elite field, finished his leg despite a bloody face and singlet. His finishing photo (see below, advanced warning: graphic) is rather incredible knowing that he continued to race rather than drop out.
A true display of putting the team first.
When he fell, Riedy, part of the class of 2017 at Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Va., was cut by a competitor’s spike. Track athletes regularly wear spikes during competition for added grip and speed since they’re lightweight and keep runners on their toes.
The team’s result from the race can be found below (Riedy is in bold and the times in brackets are the athletes’ 800m splits):
15. Hickory Tc-Va 8:07.81
1) Jarrell Hibler – 1:59.08 (1:59.08)
2) Chad Brown – 4:00.00 (2:00.92)
3) Cameron Riedy – 6:04.41 (2:04.41)
4) Zach Morton – 8:07.82 (2:03.41)
Despite the fall, Riedy still ran 2:04.41 for the four-lap race, which was held at the Armory in New York City.
According to Riedy’s Twitter account, he required two sets of stitches to close the gash on his forehead. The high school student added that he was not seriously hurt despite the tumble.
@TracksterZack @ZachMort21 yeah I have to get 2 sets of stitches
— Cameron Riedy (@Cameronriedy) March 12, 2016
This is how Riedy looked handing off the baton to Zach Morton, the fourth and final runner on the relay squad:
Full footage of the race can be found here. Riedy’s 800m leg begins 4:02 and his fall occurs at the 5:00 mark of the linked video.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
