You are an Olympian runner. Your event: the women's 5,000 meters. You have trained for this moment. This is the grandest stage you will ever play on. The entire world is watching, waiting to scream your name when you cross the finish line, victorious. The gun goes off, and every muscle you've trained is working its hardest to get you that medal. Then, the tragic occurs: you fall. Your knee gives out and all that you have worked for is tarnished. Is a victory still even possible? What now?

Imagine the agony of pain and athletic shame when New Zealand runner, Nikki Hamblin takes a wrong step and falls to the stadium ground, clipping USA runner Abbey D'Agostino in the process. The two left a cloud of stumbled dust behind them in the race. There were only 4.5 laps remaining of the 12.5 lap race, medal dreams were shattered in an instant, a disappointment an athlete will never forget.

Amidst the chaos and confusion of the failed attempt at podium placement, an unbelievably human thing occurred.

“Come on, get up,” demanded D'Agostino to Hamblin, “We have to finish this race.” The two continued on. Moments later, D'Agostino's knee gave out. Hamblin immediately assisted the beaten runner, returning the initial favor. With no second thoughts of leaving a rival alone, D'Agostino and her now badly injured knee, continued on with Hamblin to the very end of the track, finishing the race.

Though beaten, and so clearly bruised, D'Agostino finishing at 17:10:02 and Hamblin at 16:43:61, the two women had emerged victorious, a finish that would not have nearly been as possible without one lifting the other.

Among the many medals and marvelously finished victories here at the Olympics, we are still reminded that some triumphs are most remembered because of a single event of unthinkable kindness--and that is an even greater victory.