During the 2008 Washington State 4A track and field championship, Andrea Nelson, a Laurel in the Woodridge Ward, Spokane Washington North Stake, received her best time in the 3,200-meter race. Although it was Andrea’s best time, her second-place finish was still seconds behind the event winner.
Within a few minutes after the event, the judges disqualified the first-place runner due to officials believing she had taken three consecutive steps on the inside line of the track. As the announcement was made, many were upset because of the clear and fair win the first-place athlete had earned.
As the award ceremony took place, Andrea received the first place award, but she hopped off the podium and ran over to the first-place finisher and placed her medal around the neck of the disqualified first-place runner, telling her she was the one that deserved the medal.
Inspired by this sportsmanship gesture, each of the top eight medalists, one by one, placed her medal around the runner who placed directly before her until each of other top finishers had a medal.
Andrea’s example of good sportsmanship carried on throughout the state track meet. Ten days after the meet, the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association ruled the disqualification void and declared the first-place finisher the official winner of the 3,200-meter race. They announced that she had been mistaken for her teammate who had stepped outside the boundaries.
Andrea had done what she felt was the right thing to do. Despite the chance to be a state champion, she decided that doing what felt right was more important the being Number One.
#GetVal #SportValues #FairPlay #Sportsmanship