Watch: Display of sportsmanship for Andorran runners at European Championships

Andorra’s runners in heat of the 3,000m steeplechase at the European Championships 2022 in Munich on Tuesday Nahuel Carabaña He has been praised for his excellent sportsmanship.Carabaña stopped and helped the Danish runner Axel Van Christensen A person who fell into a truck after hitting one of the barriers.

Christensen was leading a 17-man field at the 5:30 mark in the steeplechase when he crashed into an obstacle and fell onto the track. Most of the runners continued to pass him, with the exception of Carabaña.

The 22-year-old turned to help 18-year-old Christensen and reached out to help him. Dane declined Carabaña’s help and remained seated in the truck. Carabaña knelt down to talk to him before he got up and moved behind the injured runner, dragging him out of the inside lane of the track.

Carabaña continued the race and found himself 250 meters behind the leaders. He finished last, over a minute behind the automatic qualifiers for the final and 40 seconds behind the penultimate finisher.I received a carabaña standing ovation From the Munich audience for his courageous move.

The Andorran, who ran the last two and a half laps alone, said he was “very happy” with the applause at the end of the race.

best sportsmanship. 💕#Munich 2022 #BackToTheRoofs

(@Euro_Champs) pic.twitter.com/oiGET4B51e

— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) August 16, 2022

Carabaña told reporters after the race that he was looking to continue the race, but something inside him said he needed to help Christensen and get him going before the runners returned for the next lap. .

“Until that moment, I didn’t even know what country he was from,” Carabaña said. “I didn’t know who he was. I just wanted to help him. He was in so much pain that I tried to carry him out of the truck.”

Carabaña’s selfless act marked the end of the road for him. european championship“I knew I wasn’t feeling well. Today wasn’t my day,” Carabaña said. “But it’s a pleasure to be able to help someone.”