Your favorite Olympic moment in sportsmanship

[4everchan]

This moment is not only about Laurent Dubreuil, Canadian speed skater, world champion in the 500m who had a redemption skate in the 1000m which is not his event (no medals in world cup this year on 1000m while he medaled at every world cup in the 500m)... who had spoken in such a great and mature way after his 4th place on the 500m (I woke up a happy man without an olympic medal, i will wake up tomorrow, still a happy man even if I still do not have that medal). it's most importantly about speed skater from the Netherlands Kai Verbij who pulled up at the cross over, seeing that Laurent was way ahead of him. Without this gesture of sportsmanship, Laurent would have been slowed down or they could have crashed. Gaetan Boucher, one of the most decorated speed skater from Canada (he won gold at the same distance at Sarajevo) explains that Verbij had no choice to pull up as he saw Laurent in the corner and had to let him pass. Laurent's mom also mentioned that wonderful gesture in an interview on French CBC. (If I find it later, I will add it later). I believe that the rules in speed skating give the advantage here to the skater having to come back to the Inside lane, but often, skaters by not pulling up quite that well, impede a bit on the other skater. This was such a heartwarming moment. Laurent's family were very touched by it. Of course, Kai was disappointed but he knows he did the right thing in this case.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/winter/speed-skating/dutch-speed-skater-sportsmanship-1.6356824

Please post your favorite Olympic moment in sportsmanship from these games.

 

[labgoat]

The two Madisons in the kiss and cry at the team event.
They were so delighted to be teammates and rivals.

Also all the skaters cheering from the stands during the events.

 

[moonvine]

Does before the Games count? My favorite moment was when Brittany Bowe gave up her Olympic spot to her teammate and friend Erin Jackson..

US speed skater gives up Beijing spot to teammate after slip at trials

American speed skater Brittany Bowe gave up her spot in the 500-meter race at the Beijing Olympics to teammate Erin Jackson.

www.eurosport.com

 

[anonymoose_au]

I didn't see this on the broadcast but after Sui and Cong won, Vladimir Morozov gave Cong a HUGE congratulatory hug

I saw it on an Insta story, but saved it so we can all enjoy it

 

[4everchan]

Does before the Games count? My favorite moment was when Brittany Bowe gave up her Olympic spot to her teammate and friend Erin Jackson..

US speed skater gives up Beijing spot to teammate after slip at trials

American speed skater Brittany Bowe gave up her spot in the 500-meter race at the Beijing Olympics to teammate Erin Jackson.

www.eurosport.com

this reminds me of Gilmore Junio who did the same so Denny Morrison could win a silver at the Sochi games.

 

[ladyjane]

I'm no speedskate lover but even I recall Verbij's 'moment'. The Dutch press was full of it! But it sure was good sportmanship.

 

[4everchan]

I'm no speedskate lover but even I recall Verbij's 'moment'. The Dutch press was full of it! But it sure was good sportmanship.

did the press praise him or said it was too bad he lost a medal?

 

[rabidline]

Shoma's kind words for Nathan going full circle after four years.

From 2018 Olympics:



To 2022 Olympics:



The comment in 2018 was really what made me take a closer look at Shoma. There was no need for him to comment on Nathan's performance especially after finishing second at his first Olympics, but he did, and it was an interesting perspective in the aftermath of the men's event. (Kind of a premonition of what will happen in the quad after too).

 

[anonymoose_au]

Shoma's kind words for Nathan going full circle after four years.

Awww Shoma! What lovely words! Especially in 2018, I do hope Nathan heard about them and felt the support

That story really brightens up the day

 

[ladyjane]

did the press praise him or said it was too bad he lost a medal?

A bit of both. They praised his sportmanship but they were sorry for him too! And in his interviews he said the same thing "I could do no other but I was afraid of it happening, I am not fast enough in the first lap. But I would have liked to get that medal."

 

[4everchan]

A bit of both. They praised his sportmanship but they were sorry for him too! And in his interviews he said the same thing "I could do no other but I was afraid of it happening, I am not fast enough in the first lap. But I would have liked to get that medal."

yeah... i guess it was an unfortunate moment for him that he didn't have enough speed but then did the right thing so that the guy with enough speed didn't get impeded ... to me, this shows that sportsmanship is not only shown in victory but also in defeat and I am thinking what Verbj did is so special.

 

[LadyB]

Javi and Yuzu in 2018. Papa Orser in the background taking pics. It can't get any better than this brotherly-rivalry.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Awww Shoma! What lovely words! Especially in 2018, I do hope Nathan heard about them and felt the support

That story really brightens up the day

Me too! I wonder what it would be like to live in a world populated by Japanese Figure skaters???? Sigh....I have seen way too much misery in my 73 years.......