she described as one of the best courses Ive played in m

RIO DE JANEIRO -- Having tripped and fallen to the track in the second heat of the womens 5,000 meters, New Zealands Nikki Hamblin lay there wondering, Whats happening? Why am I on the ground?And then she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was that of competitor Abbey DAgostino from the United States, who had tripped and fallen over Hamblin herself. The two had never met before, but DAgostino was not going to let Hamblin lie on the ground.Get up, get up! We have to finish! DAgostino told Hamblin. This is the Olympic Games! We have to finish this!DAgostino helped Hamblin up. Then Hamblin helped DAgostino as well. And then the two continued the race, with DAgostino struggling severely after injuring her knee in the fall. As she ran, Hamlin said she looked back to see how DAgostino was doing, but the American simply waved her on, telling her to just keep going, just keep running.Hamblin finished next-to-last in her heat with a time of 16 minutes, 43.61 seconds, more than a minute behind the winning time. DAgostino finished last with a time of 17:10.02, even further behind the winning time. After DAgostino crossed the finish line, she and Hamblin shared an intensely emotional hug, with tears welling in their eyes.Asked what she said to DAgostino at the end of the race, Hamblin replied: What could I say to her? She helped me up and she finished the race. I couldnt have big enough words to tell her how amazing she is.Despite their finish times, both will advance to the final because they were tripped. And more importantly, DAgostino fully exemplified what the Olympics should be all about. Yes, competing to win gold, silver or bronze is important. But so is competing together. The Olympics are not just about individual medalists but also about gathering people from around the world in a spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood.I am so grateful to Abbey for helping me, Hamblin said. That girl was the Olympic spirit right there. I am so impressed and inspired by that.Ive never met this girl before. It is just so amazing, regardless of this race and the result. Its something I will never ever forget for the rest of my life. It will be this this girl shaking my shoulder and saying get up. I really hope shes OK.DAgostino she did not speak with reporters because she needed to receive treatment for the injury but friend and fellow Dartmouth runner Alexi Pappas said she saw her after the race and thinks she will be all right. Regardless of whether or how DAgostino runs in the final, her performance Tuesday was worthy of a gold medal.She is a selfless person and today she embodied the Olympic spirit, Pappas said. Camaraderie. Gratitude. Perseverance. She didnt stop. She did it with joy, so joyful as she could be.It was unclear how DAgostinos knee was -- she did not come through the mixed zone with reporters because she needed to receive treatment for the injury -- but regardless of whether or how she runs in the final, her performance Tuesday was worthy of a gold medal.The moment was reminiscent of the mens 400 at the 1992 Olympics, when Great Britains Derek Redmond tore his hamstring during the race and his father climbed out of the stands to help him to the finish line.For a runner to help another runner out like that -- thats beautiful and I hope we can all appreciate the team spirit and the Olympic spirit, Australias Genevieve Lacaze said. Were all here and its meant to be fun, but we all race against each other but in a world spirit. When the crowd can sit back and watch something like that happen. Its fabulous. No words can express what that means. She will for sure always remember that.As we all should, as much as what Usain Bolt does in his races. The Olympic motto is Faster, higher, stronger. But DAgostino and Hamblin were an example of more important words. Along with Pappas description of camaraderie and perseverance, add: Caring. Supportive. Human.I think you come to the Olympic Games and everyone wants to win and everyone wants to medal. Hamblin said. And as disappointing as this experience was, there is so much more to this than a medal or winning. Elgin Baylor Jersey . -- The Bishops Gaiters are showing they belong among the countrys top varsity football teams. JaVale McGee Jersey . With the first unit struggling of late and Amir Johnson - one of the teams iron men - hobbling on an injured right ankle, Patterson knew he could get the nod in a challenging matchup against one of the leagues up and coming players at his position. http://www.lakersbasketballshop.com/Jamaal-Wilkes-Jersey/ . The Olympic champion curler and TSN curling analyst immediately went online to look at the Halls long list of honoured members. Thats when the enormity of the honour sunk in. Lance Stephenson Lakers Jersey . After a replay, the winner will meet Sunderland in the quarterfinals. Sagbo did well to control Sone Alukos right cross and fire past Brighton goalkeeper Peter Brezovan. Aluko was making his first start in four months after recovering from an Achilles injury. Vlade Divac Jersey . Jordan Lynch, the all-purpose Heisman Trophy finalist from Northern Illinois, failed to make it into that exclusive club. RIO DE JANEIRO -- At times, Victoria Lovelady has to pause to take it all in. The Olympic Games are in her home country of Brazil, golf has returned to the Olympics for the first time since 1904, and she was fortunate enough to qualify.Although the mens tournament is being played this week at the Olympic Golf Course, Lovelady, 29, was on site to practice and play, one of the neat aspects to the event that saw a smattering of the women at the venue Monday.Adding to the experience was the fact that Lovelady was asked to play a practice round with Germanys Martin Kaymer and Spains Rafael Cabrera-Bello.Oh my goodness, Lovelady gushed prior to hitting off the 10th tee. When I found out the Olympics was going to be in Brazil and that golf was coming back, it became part of my daily mental routine. There was not one day I didnt think about the Olympics. I was finishing college at the time.My whole motivation to turn pro after college was based on the Olympics. I was ready to turn pro and pursue my dream of playing in the Olympics. Its been a huge goal for me.Lovelady, who played college golf at USC when she went by her maiden name Victoria Alimonda, is a perfect example of how golfs return to the Olympics has been an inspiration. Lovelady has yet to make the LPGA Tour in two tries and this year is competing on the Ladies European Tour, where travel is difficult and purses are sparse..@RickieFowler and @vic_brasil_golf hammed it up after practice round @Rio2016_en on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/nsz4MKsYxL- USA GOLF (@USAGolf) August 8, 2016But she kept after it because of the Olympics, and scrambled to earn world ranking points when it was coming down to the wire for qualification last month. Only one Brazilian golfer was guaranteed a spot in the field (same for the men), so Lovelady was not a lock. She was running close to the other Brazilian golfer in the womens field, Miriam Nagl, and in the end they both made it.It was a super adventure, said Lovelady, who will begin the competition on Aug. 17. All because of the importance I gave to the Olympics being in Brazil, golf coming back to my country. I dont know what Id be doing with myself right now if I wasnt here.dddddddddddd For the past year, every day somebody asked me, Are you going to the Olympics? I thought, My God, Ive got to be there. Not only for my personal goal but also the whole vibe around me. And being one of the only Brazilians on tour. That topic was a hot question.Lovelady took up golf at age 12 due to the influence of her grandfather and father, who was the rare person in Brazil who was a member of a private club. She earned a scholarship to USC after spending time in California as an exchange student, where I was able to study and play golf at the same time, she said. Brazil has some 200 million people but only about 20,000 golfers. You have to have a golf tradition in your family, she noted, something Lovelady said she hopes the Olympics will help change.The Olympic Golf Course, which she described as one of the best courses Ive played in my life, is the first public course ever in Rio. The course is brand-new and was built especially for then Games. How it is treated, and how the public has access to it after the Olympics, will go a long way toward more people becoming interested in the game.There will be more curiosity, more access, she said. I hope it opens up more opportunities.For now, Lovelady is taking advantage of hers. Monday was the last day she could practice on the course until next Monday, two days prior to the first round of the womens competition.But the women are allowed to use all of the practice facilities here throughout the week. And it will be a time to enjoy everything that comes with it.The opening ceremony was literally the best moment of my life, she said. It was beautiful. To be able to be received by so many people in my country. We were singing the anthem and chanting. And one of the cool things was I saw my dad in the first row. He called out my name and all of a sudden I see him, and hes hugging me. He played such an important role in my athletic life.And that would not have happened if the Olympics were somewhere else. ' ' '