Inspirational Olympic Stories # 1 : Derek Redmond and the Olympic Spirit

As the Olympics looms large with only 56 days to go, we take a look at the most Inspirational Olympic stories of all time. Despite what you say, there is something unifying about the sports in its purest form when Athletes rise above themselves and touch greatness, and in doing so, remind us all that we also have greatness inside us.

These are the stories that portray the true spirit of the Olympics. These are the stories that remind us why all love sports.

# 1 – Derek Redmond in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics

Derek Redmond didn’t finish first in the 1992 400m race, he didn’t finish second or third or fourth. He finished dead last. But, he finished!

Of the thousands who dream about winning at the Olympics, only a handful do. When you do lose at the Olympics, it is not a single defeat that you have to digest but it the four years of effort that you wasted in a matter of minutes. Derek Redmond’s defeat at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics reflects the dire perseverance that an athlete has, the true spirit of Olympics but much more than anything, the undeniable importance of parenthood.

Derek Redmond finishes the race with his Father

Redmond was a man marred by injuries. He had earlier missed the 1986 Commonwealth Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympics due to injuries. But, his talent however was unquestionable. Despite all these, he was touted to win a medal at Barcelona but what thousands witnessed that day was the career of a man who was unwilling to submit to injuries.

In the first round, Redmond ran his fastest 400m for almost four years and that gave him some hope. In the semi-finals, he wanted to push a bit harder so that he could get a decent lane in the finals. Derek had a very good start to the race but after 15 seconds, he tore his hamstring. He clutched his leg and stood on the floor, he was visible in pain. As the medical staff came over to help Redmond get off the field, he got back on his legs. Just when people were thinking that he was hobbling off to the side of the track, they came to realize that Derek Redmond was in fact trying to finish that race in one leg. Slowly, the crowd in total disbelief started to cheer him up. Later, Redmond commented

“I said to myself: ‘There’s no way I’m going to be stretchered out of these Olympics.’ I didn’t know where I was. I really, really believed I could still qualify.”

Derek’s father Jim, who was in the stands came rushing towards the track. He pushed off the officials and asked his son to stop what he was doing. Derek refused. Jim said “Well, then we are going to finish this together”. And they finished the race with Derek’s pain and anguish increasing with each step. Derek put his hand across his old man’s shoulders and sobbed. Together, the father and son finished the race to a standing ovation from the crowd.

“It was a spontaneous reaction, as if I had seen him hit by a car. I certainly didn’t run down to help him finish – if anything it was to stop him. I could accept the fact that my son was injured, but not that he was going to carry on in pain, causing himself even greater damage.”

said Jim Redmond when asked about the incident.

Now, 20 years after the race, hardly a few people remember who won that semifinal or for that matter, the finals. But, we all remember Derek Redmond for demonstrating the purest and most courageous example of determination we have ever seen.

Here is the video showing Redmond’s race at Barcelona

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFKpZnok10s