Great Britain Olympic runner Derek Redmond, left cries out in pain, Monday, August 3, 1992 in Barcelona, as he is assisted from the Olympic track by his father Jim Redmond, who jumped from the stands to help his injured son finish the 400 meter Olympic race. (AP Photo/Denis Paquin)
Another inspirational story is about the British sprinter runner Derek Redmond who left the mark on the history of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.
Derek Redmond held the British record for the 400 meters sprint and won gold medals in the 4×400 meters relay at the World Championships and European Championships during his career.
Derek had his dreams of an Olympic medal crushed by a debilitating hamstring injury in the middle of a semi-final race. But whereas most athletes would just submit to defeat, bend over, and cry, Redmond was determined to finish what he started. So he picks himself up off the ground and begins hobbling around the track toward the finish line. Then, just when it seems he might not be able to go on any longer, Redmond’s dad forces his way onto the track and puts his arm around his son, who cries on his shoulder as the two finish the race together to the standing ovation of supporters.
Although Redmond was disqualified and listed as “Did Not Finish” due to the outside assistance finishing the race, the incident has become a well-remembered moment in Olympic history, having been the subject of one of the International Olympic Committee’s “Celebrate Humanity” videos and been used in advertisements by Visa as an illustration of the Olympic spirit and featured in Nike’s “Courage” commercials in 2008.
Two years after the Olympics in Barcelona, Derek was told by a surgeon that he would never run again or represent his country in sport. However, after coming to terms with the loss of athletics as a career, he began to turn his attention, with the encouragement of his father, to other sports that he enjoyed. He went on to play professional basketball for the Birmingham Bullets. Apart from that, Redmond currently does motivational speaking on the conference circuit, inspiring people with his life experience.
This #tbt story shows the power of #commitment and #willpower which motivates not to give up on what you started.
#GetVal #SportValues #NeverGiveUp# #Determination #DerekRedmond