IN WHAT WILL go down as one of the more touching moments of the Sochi Olympics, Swiss cross-country skier Dario Cologna won a gold medal and then waited 28 minutes to congratulate last-place finisher Roberto Carcelen of Peru at the finish line.
Cologna did not have an easy race either, having just finished a grueling 39-minute, 15 km course with a close finish at the end:
Credit: CBC
Like many of the cross-country competitors, he collapsed after crossing the finish line.
AP Photo/Matthias Schrader
You wouldn't have blamed him if he just wanted to celebrate and find a massage therapist.
However, some 28 minutes later, and 11 minutes after every other skier had finished, Carcelen struggled down the final stretch. He was greeted by a standing ovation from the fans and grabbed a Peruvian flag from the crowd.
AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky
Carcelen (bib no. 92), who finished 87th, crossed the finish line and was first greeted by Dachhiri Sherpa of Nepal (bib no. 91), who finished 86th in the event. And then, to the likely surprise of everybody, Cologna appeared, still carrying his skis, to greet both competitors with a handshake. What a great moment and what the Olympics should be all about.
Gold Medallist waits 28 minutes to cheer on last placed cross-country skiier
IN WHAT WILL go down as one of the more touching moments of the Sochi Olympics, Swiss cross-country skier Dario Cologna won a gold medal and then waited 28 minutes to congratulate last-place finisher Roberto Carcelen of Peru at the finish line.
The 43-year-old Carcelen is Peru’s first Winter Olympian and has only been skiing since 2005. He was also competing with broken ribs as the result of a training accident just two weeks before the Olympics.
Cologna did not have an easy race either, having just finished a grueling 39-minute, 15 km course with a close finish at the end:
Credit: CBC
Like many of the cross-country competitors, he collapsed after crossing the finish line.
AP Photo/Matthias Schrader
You wouldn't have blamed him if he just wanted to celebrate and find a massage therapist.
However, some 28 minutes later, and 11 minutes after every other skier had finished, Carcelen struggled down the final stretch. He was greeted by a standing ovation from the fans and grabbed a Peruvian flag from the crowd.
AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky
Carcelen (bib no. 92), who finished 87th, crossed the finish line and was first greeted by Dachhiri Sherpa of Nepal (bib no. 91), who finished 86th in the event. And then, to the likely surprise of everybody, Cologna appeared, still carrying his skis, to greet both competitors with a handshake. What a great moment and what the Olympics should be all about.
Check out the video here:
YouTube credit: DVH PERU
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Cross Country Dario Cologna Olympic Spirit roberto carcelen Skiing Sochi Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics