Selfless runner sidelined

Abbey D'Agostino never imagined doing the right thing would cause such a stir.

The US 5,000m runner, whose act of friendship captured the Olympic spirit, will not return to the Rio track because of torn knee ligaments.

On Wednesday, D'Agostino said that even though her season was over, her message prevailed.

She was involved in a chain reaction tumble with New Zealand's Nikki Hamblin on the track at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday .

Instead of getting up and back in to the race, D'Agostino helped Hamblin to her feet and took a moment to urge her to keep running.

The gesture of kindness has been a big hit on social media and provided a refreshing reminder of what the Olympics are supposed to be about.

D'Agostino spent Wednesday doing television interviews - rare for a little known long distance runner - and telling her story.

Her explanation was right to the point.

"Simple acts of kindness are recognized and people are drawn to them," she explained. "It resonates with people. It is cool to have something like that shine through."

Before the race, D'Agostino had never crossed paths with Hamblin. After it was over, they exchanged contact information and vowed to stay in touch.

"It has connected us in a way that is powerful," said the 24-year-old. "It is the beginning of a relationship that neither one of us will ever forget.

"We might live on opposite sides of the world and our paths won't cross frequently, but we will keep in touch and share our story."

Hamblin could not agree more.

"That girl is the Olympic spirit right there," said Hamblin, who also encouraged D'Agostino to keep running. "I had never met her before. Isn't that just so amazing? Such an amazing woman."

D'Agostino has seen replays of the incident. She said she is still not sure how it happened. Even more, she is not sure how she was able to make it across the finish line with a banged-up right knee.

(China Daily 08/19/2016 page5)