This happened during the 400 m semi-final at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. At the sound of a starting pistol, breaking the silence, eight sprinters started running as fast as they could. Some 65,000 spectators had their eyes fixed on the sprinters as the game was going to be decided in a matter of seconds. But then suddenly, a British sprinter named Derek Redmond dropped down, putting his hand on his leg, at around 150 m mark. He got back up, but the other sprinters were already reaching the finish line.
He was in great pain, but he continued the race, limping, after telling the medical team his will to continue it. Then a man from the crowd came, running to him. Although the staff tried to stop him, he still came inside the track, pushing them away. It was Derek’s father. Leaning on his father’s shoulder, Derek cried buckets but continued walking toward the finish line. Seeing his son’s will not to give up, the father helped him walk, tapping his shoulder, and they crossed the finish line together. The crowd gave a standing ovation to the athlete who ran until the finish line though his leg was hurting and to his father who supported him, walking beside him.
“I’m proud of my son. I couldn’t have been more proud of him even if he had won a gold medal.” Jim Redmond, Derek Redmond’s father