In a drama packed second heat of the 5000m Nikki Hamblin was accorded a place in the 5000m final after a dramatic tumble shortly after half way which also brought down American Abbey D’Agostino. They helped each other to their feet and bravely completed the distance. Following a review of the race both were given a place in the final.
Hamblin said that it all happened so fast.
“One minute I’m on my feet there’s some jostling in front and then I go down and the girl behind me went down and I’m better off than her, she’s pretty badly hurt and I’m so thrilled that she finished because she kind of picked me up off the ground, saying we’ve got to keep running. Abbey D’Agostino from USA an awesome girl and we should cheer for her. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t my fault something happened in front of me to cause that,” said Hamblin after finishing the race.
“It was a lonely five or six laps, you’re running pretty slow because you know you just have to finish,” she added.
It was a last minute decision before scratching had to be declared that Hamblin gave herself a tick to start.
“I’m proud of myself to come back and run this race after the 1500m, I was that close to not running.”
The 5000m final will be raced on Saturday 20 August at 12:40pm Rio time.