Imagine this: You’re in a marathon. You have been running for a while now and exhaustion is starting to reach out to different parts of your body. You are running out of breath but you know you got to keep going. Meanwhile, you see a fellow marathon runner giving up due to extreme exhaustion, about to collapse. What do you do?
“Help the fellow runner”, some would say, but this is easier said than done. Sacrificing your own race and helping another person can be a tricky decision to make, not to forget, a very selfless one as well. But, in a recently held London Marathon, Matthew Rees stopped 200 metres short of the finishing line to help a fellow athlete, David Wyeth finish his race.
Wyeth’s legs began to buckle as he approached the finishing line as the gruelling 26-mile course began to take its toll.
This is exactly what the #LondonMarathon is all about👏🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/fRhkzMflB5
— London Marathon (@LondonMarathon) April 23, 2017
But Rees, disregarding his own finish, showed Wyeth the way and helped him cross the finish line.
Since then, Rees is being hailed as a ‘hero’ on Twitter, for his selfless act.
Matthew Rees, of @SwanHarrierDev, you’ve just encompassed everything that’s so special about the #LondonMarathon. We salute you. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/86Ql4LLBEa
— London Marathon (@LondonMarathon) April 23, 2017
Thank you all for the overwhelming support! @thewelshrunner is an inspiration!It’s been a wonderful day for the club pic.twitter.com/OXl2iLTxmk
— Swansea Harriers (@SwanHarrierDev) April 23, 2017
Matthew Rees, you are a hero. https://t.co/okWuHRNfQ9
— innocent drinks (@innocent) April 23, 2017
Wow!!!! Just incredible. Go Matthew Rees! #GetInspired #LondonMarathon https://t.co/UYPgfj7vtY
— Becky James (@BecksJames) April 23, 2017
Watch the video here.
This is called true sportsmanship. Proud to co-exist alongside you, Rees.