Inspirational People: Derek Redmond’s Father Helps Him Cross Finish Line After Olympian Suffers Agonizing Injury During Barcelona Games

The world is caught up in the excitement of the Olympic games in Paris. While it’s fun to watch our favorite athletes, it’s also incredible to see their parents in the stands, sacrificing their time and comfort to cheer for their children. Getting to the elite games is a family affair, and without their love and support, many Olympians simply wouldn’t go.

One of the greatest moments in Olympic history was not an athlete’s tremendous win, but his father’s unwavering love. A YouTube video shared on the Olympics’ official page shows Derek Redmond, a promising runner from the United Kingdom, competing in the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona. He’d trained his life for that 400m race and was ready for a medal.

As the gun shot off, signaling the start of the race, Derek moved fast and had a great start. But his dreams came crashing down when he pulled his right hamstring and he fell to the ground in agony. The rest of the racers flew past him and so did his dreams of an Olympic medal. But there was one person who wasn’t going to let Derek Redmond leave the games without crossing the fishing line.

Derek’s father, Jim, came from the stands to pick his son up and help carry him across the line. Dressed in Nike gear with the famous “Just Do It” tagline, Jim embraced his son, who was in incredible physical and emotional pain, and the pair continued the race.

Officials approached Derek and Jim more than once to get Jim off the track, but the dad wasn’t having it. He moved them along so that his son could finish the race and have his moment. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, and more than 30 years later, fans still remember the emotional moment.

Derek Redmond’s Father Went Down In History

“I don’t remember who won this race, but I’ll never forget Derek and his father,” someone wrote.

Many pointed out Jim’s attitude, “Apart from that has anyone noticed the courage of a father? He stays till the end, pulling away security. That was a fathers love. And how his son has reacted to his father? I find it also inspirational.”

This one’s for all the moms and dads living out Olympic dreams with their children. We see you. Thank you for all your love and dedication to your children and their passions. You are an inspiration.

You can find the source of this story’s featured image here .

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