The moment you see in the above photo is the moment when Torri Edwards and Lauryn Williams of the United States realized their Olympic dreams had been dashed. As Edwards passed off to Williams in the 4x100-meter relay, the baton fell to the track, and just like that, they were out of it.
But Williams' immediate reaction was one of my favorite moments of these Olympics. Most of the time, when an exchange is bungled in a relay, the runners simply stop. But Williams turned around, ran back to pick up the baton, and sprinted to the finish line, well behind all the other runners.
Technically, the American relay team was disqualified because Edwards and Williams didn't have a legal exchange. So the record books will say they didn't finish. But Williams did finish, and in doing so she showed the spirit of a true competitor.
Lauryn Williams won't bring home a gold medal, but she did what she went to Beijing to do: Her best.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-22-2008 @ 2:40PM
EDDIE said...
TRUE CHAMPION CHARACTOR!!!!!!!!!!
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8-22-2008 @ 3:57PM
Alex Anderson said...
Can I hear an Amen to this comment?
Alex
8-22-2008 @ 3:06PM
nale said...
Although Williams effort show the heart of a competitor it was like a baseball player running hard for home after he was called out at third meaningless. When they dropped the baton their race was over.
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8-22-2008 @ 3:56PM
Alex Anderson said...
Apparently we are not allowed mistakes. How about some compassion for the runners? I think finishing the race say's alot about a persons character.
Alex
8-22-2008 @ 3:16PM
DMJ said...
Who cares...they blew it the moment that baton hit the track. The "spirit of the competition" is all well and good but meaningless.
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8-22-2008 @ 3:41PM
Hoyt Meadows said...
Good for her! I totally agree that she showed class and true Olympic Spirit with her actions!
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8-22-2008 @ 3:45PM
bballboarder11 said...
I was on the relay team back in high school. They messed up on pretty muck the only thing you have to know how to do. But I also know that in my 6 years of track crap happens. You push your self, or people push you. People expect things from you, and from that stress you mess up.
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8-22-2008 @ 4:03PM
A True Athlete said...
DMj & nale,
You guys are just A**Holes, When was the last you competed for something. She showed class and the will of a Champion.
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8-22-2008 @ 5:02PM
David W said...
I respect her desire to finish the race, but that does not absolve her of some of the responsibility for the missed exchange. Her hand became a moving target based on what I saw. That's a cardinal sin in a relay race.
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8-22-2008 @ 4:26PM
A. David said...
What Lauryn Williams did reflects well on America(something that is very often not the case) and what the Olympics is supposed to be all about. Well done Ms. Williams
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8-22-2008 @ 5:24PM
doug said...
It was more a "I can still win it, I'm racing against junior high schoolers" moment, you saw the realization in her eyes that this was the f'n olympics when she turns around and sees the world class sprinters have left her behind.
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8-25-2008 @ 12:59PM
Arlene said...
While the finishing of the race is commendable by Ms. Williams, it was negated by her comment that someone must be using voodoo dolls against Team USA. It only goes to show what kind of God she is serving. No one is perfect. When imperfections take place, it's time to take responsibility and not blame others.
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8-23-2008 @ 9:25PM
Don said...
Nice try, but really, the fact that a simple baton exchange was screwed up by the women for the second Olympics in a row far outweighs any pointless symbolism generated by Williams finishing after they'd guaranteed a DQ. It's nice to be kind and attempt to give folks the benefit of the doubt, but to be putting that forth as one of your highlights of the Games is just plain dumb and goes way too far in an attempt to find something, anything, positive to say about a U.S effort regardless of how it turns out.
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8-22-2008 @ 6:06PM
Cray said...
That was extremely brave of her to run in the face of defeat, embarrassment and denial. Not many athletes in the world let their passion overwhelm themselves to point where nothing else matters but finishing what you started, knowing that you trained so hard to win. Nobody trains to lose the race nor do they train themselves to do what she did.
Absolutely commendable in the face of defeat.
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8-23-2008 @ 4:50PM
tom gaeta said...
She picked up that baton and ran out of frustration, because that was the SECOND Time she failed a baton exchange. Realizing a GOLD Medal was lost too. She's a HUGE Loser...and gave the World a Loser's Lap.
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