The world’s best track and field athletes have gathered in Tokyo for this year’s World Athletics Championships, and feats of incredible speed, strength and agility have been on display.
Olympic stars like Noah Lyles and Tara Davis-Woodhall have competed and succeeded in their events, and fans are waiting to see if records are broken by some of the most impressive talents in the history of the sport.
Another moment that had nothing to do with a podium is catching fans’ attention, as one competitor’s act of incredible kindness reminded many of what sports is all about.
Helping a Fellow Competitor After an Injury
During the men’s 3000m steeplechase qualifier on Saturday, Belgian competitor Tim Van de Velde was nearly across the line during the race’s final stretch. Van de Velde noticed that Carlos San Martin was having trouble lifting his leg over the final barrier on the track.
Van de Velde jogged back to the barrier to help San Martin, and they would cross the finish line together in 10th and 11th place.
“I saw him stumbling and thought, ‘Why not?’” Van de Velde said to the Associated Press after the race.
“We both had bad luck, I guess. Maybe we can share some bad luck together.”
Van de Velde was in the lead at one point during the race, but made contact with a barrier and fell into water on the third lap. San Martin fell directly on his hands after clipping a barrier in his own right, and would leave the track in a wheelchair after the race ended.
Both athletes were eliminated from contention for Monday’s final, and that realization appears to be what sprung Van de Velde into action.
“I know what it’s like to feel helpless on the track,” he said. Van de Velde broke his collarbone in Rome last year while competing in the European Championship.
“We’re both competitors. We both work very hard,” the Belgian athlete said. “Of course, the main goal was the final and we both had bad luck, so that’s why I did it.”
Soufiane El Bakkali, the 2020 and 2024 Olympic gold medal winner, won the heat that Van de Velde and San Martin competed in. He finished the race in 8:26.99, four-fifths of a second ahead of second place finisher Lamecha Girma, who holds the world record.
Dangers Associated With the Event
Van de Velde and San Martin weren’t the only athletes to overcome falls in the steeplechase event. In another qualifying heat, New Zealand competitor Geordie Beamish fell and had his face stepped on before recovering to finish second – and qualify for the final.
“Tried to make a responsible move to the front and not leave it to the last few steps and ended up on the ground,” Beamish said after the race. “Wasn’t gonna let a tumble put paid to a couple years of waiting for another final.”
It’s clear that the event is certainly a risky one for competitors. Hopefully, everyone competing in this year’s final can emerge without any serious injuries. The men’s 3000m steeplechase final is set for Monday evening in Tokyo.
