"By now, we've all probably seen that beautiful moment when Abbey D'Agostino of the United States (Ed. note: from Topsfield, Massachusetts) collided with Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand in a women's 5000m qualifying race. In what is being heralded as 'true Olympic spirit', D'Agostino jumped back on her feet and appeared ready to race on. This is the Olympics, mind you. But then she looked down and saw her rival from New Zealand, writing in pain.
"Then she did the unthinkable - she stopped. She stopped and helped her opponent up. Hamblin later described it this way in Christianity Today:
"'That girl is the Olympic spirit right there,' Hamblin said of D'Agostino. 'I went down and I was like 'What's happening? Why am I on the ground?' 'Then suddenly this hand on my shoulder, like 'Get up, get up, we have to finish this' and I was like 'Yep, yep, you're right. This is the Olympic games - we have to finish this.' 'I've never met this girl before, and isn't that just so amazing?' . . . .
"After D'Agostino helped Hamblin up the two started together, but it turned out that D'Agostino was the one who had done terrible damage to her leg. Her ACL was torn. The two hobbled on. They finished 29th and 30th and embraced just past the finish line.
"'Olympic spirit' isn't the whole reason D'Agostino stopped. Abbey D'Agostino is a Christian. . . .
"'Although my actions were instinctual at that moment, the only way I can and have rationalized it is that God prepared my heart to respond that way,' she said in a statement.
"'This whole time here he's made clear to me that my experience in Rio was going to be about more than my race performance - and as soon as Nikki got up I knew that was it.'"
In a recent commentary, writer Matt Archbold reflected on Abbey D'Agostino's experience and the example it set.
To access his complete post, please visit:
National Catholic Register: Blogs: Matthew Archbold: That "Olympic Moment" Was a Christian Moment (18 AUG 16)
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