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D’Agostino and Hamblin receive rare Olympic honor

By Joshua Sadlock

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 17: New Zealand distance runner, Nikki Hamblin and American runner, Abbey D'Agostino pose for a portrait on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hamblin and D'Agostino came last in their 5000m heat on Tuesday after they collided and fell midway through their race. The pair have been commended for their sportsmanship after they helped each other up to finish the race. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 17: New Zealand distance runner, Nikki Hamblin and American runner, Abbey D'Agostino pose for a portrait on August 17, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Hamblin and D'Agostino came last in their 5000m heat on Tuesday after they collided and fell midway through their race. The pair have been commended for their sportsmanship after they helped each other up to finish the race. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
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Two fallen runners have been awarded with one of the rarest Olympic honors.

Abbey D’Agostino and Nikki Hamblin came to the Rio Olympic Games looking to make the 5,000-meter final and contend for a medal. They left with one of the most uplifting stories of the games, and one of the rarest Olympic honors, the Pierre de Coubertin medal, which had been awarded only 17 times previously.

D’Agostino and Hamblin made the headlines after being involved in a nasty spill just over halfway into their semifinal race. Hamblin’s legs clipped D’Agostino’s from behind, and the New Zealander and American went down hard. As they picked themselves up off the track, D’Agostino implored her competitor to dust herself off and continue racing.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 16: Abbey D’Agostino of the United States (R) and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand react after a collision during the Women’s 5000m Round 1 – Heat 2 on Day 11 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 16: Abbey D’Agostino of the United States (R) and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand react after a collision during the Women’s 5000m Round 1 – Heat 2 on Day 11 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images) /

It was immediately obvious that D’Agostino, who had twisted her knee awkwardly while falling, was in immense pain. It became Hamblin’s turn to encourage D’Agostino to finish. Running on what would turn out to be a torn ACL, torn meniscus, and MCL strain, D’Agostino gutted out a courageous finish. Hamblin was waiting for her at the finish line, and would not leave her side until a wheelchair came to take her off the track.

The images and footage of D’Agostino and Hamblin fighting to the finish line captivated the globe. Both would be granted a spot in the final, but only the runner from New Zealand would be able to compete. As Hamblin raced the final, D’Agostino was caught on camera in the front row cheering for her loudly. It mattered not that the 28-year-old runner placed last in a field of 17, minutes out of medal contention.

USA’s Abbey D’agostino (C) leaves the track on a wheelchair after competing in the Women’s 5000m Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016. / AFP / OLIVIER MORIN (Photo credit should read OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images)
USA’s Abbey D’agostino (C) leaves the track on a wheelchair after competing in the Women’s 5000m Round 1 during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016. / AFP / OLIVIER MORIN (Photo credit should read OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images) /

For their courage and representation of the true Olympic spirit, the runners received the award named for the founder of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin. The award is reserved for athletes who have gone above and beyond to exhibit the Olympic spirit.

The International Olympic Committee said in a statement, “The D’Agostino and Hamblin story is one of humanity and sacrifice which has already captured the hearts of people across the globe.”

Speaking after the ceremony, Hamblin said:  “I think it’s very special for both Abbey and myself. I don’t think either of us woke up and thought that that was going to be our day, or our race, or our Olympic Games. Both of us are strong competitors and we wanted to go out there and do our best on the track.”

With Ryan Lochte still controlling the post-Olympic news cycle, the story of two runners, united forever in a moment of struggle and anguish, should serve as the defining moment of these Rio games. Neither will leave the Olympics with the medal they came to pursue. Instead, they leave with a medal that has deeper meaning than gold, silver or bronze.

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