Many remember world record holders, Olympicchampions, but sometimes there are unexpected, not entirely pleasant situations that are remembered for a longer time. Today we will talk about a man whose action proves that the main thing, really, is not victory at competitions. Derek Redmond, a British athlete, became the hero of the summer 25 Olympic Games in Barcelona in 1992, but not because he won or broke the world record. This case will force even the owner of a granite heart to reach for the napkin to wipe away the tears.
Derek Redmond (biography of the athlete is no differentbut it did not prevent him from conquering the hearts of many) was born on September 3, 1965, in Blechli (Buckinghamshire, UK). Parents are descendants of West-Indian migrants. The culture of the East, as we know, is a delicate matter. And although for today the West extols its material values on a pedestal, but there is a culture that is beyond the time, place, circumstances. Derek received a standard education at the Road school (Nordhammthonshire), where today he was named after a multifunctional sports complex. Since childhood he was fond of sports, especially athletics. Specializing in sprint distances.
Where there is not enough speed, the course comes into playquality of endurance and tactics. There is one distance, which in their circles athletes call the term "cruel sprint" - this is a 400-meter run. It was in this form of the queen of sports that Redmond Derek polished his skills. And already in the 80's the athlete was among the ten best world athletes at this distance. In 1985, Derek set a new national record for the UK in running 400 meters - a result of 44.82 seconds. A little later, fellow countryman Roger Black took this title as the country's best runner in one round in the stadium, but in 1987 Derek regained his national title, improving time to 44.50 seconds. Derek was a member of the national relay team 4 x 400 meters. They won the European Championship in 1986 in Stuttgart (GDR), won the Commonwealth Games (held every four years), at the 1987 World Championships in Rome they were second.
Everything that Derek Redmond dreamed about at the time -Olympics in Seoul. But the first round of the competition did not pass, as the athlete was eliminated because of damage to the Achilles. Derek Redmond did not give up, he went through eight different operations, many courses of physiotherapy. Restoring his body, he ran again faster. At the World Championships in 1991 in Tokyo (Japan), Derek, as a member of the British national team, managed to win Olympic gold in a relay race of 4 x 400 meters. They showed the second time in history, thus overtaking the most formidable rivals from the US national team. The gold team consisted of Roger Black, John Regis, Chris Akabusi (Derek Redmond then ran the second stage).
Everything went as well as possible, the peak of a career, the worldsuccess. There was only one unconquered peak for the athlete - this is an Olympic medal. And the next year gave such an opportunity to Derek. Hot Spain met world athletes in 1992 in Barcelona. Derek Redmond showed the best time in the first round of the 400m event, won the quarter-finals, and it was up to the Olympic medal. But fate had other plans. Do fans of track and field athletics remember all the winners of the Olympics, Olympic champions, world record holders? It is doubtful. But the event that occurred in the semifinal race for the 400 meters of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona will remain forever inscribed in the history of the sport.
Derek Redmond fled to victory inrace, and now, after 250 meters, he drastically reduced speed. Jumping on one leg by inertia, holding on to the back surface of the right leg, Derek, writhing with pain, stopped altogether, bent over one knee on the path and lowered his head. What was going on in his head is hard to imagine. The plans for victory in the Olympics again broke for the second time in his career. To Derek Redmond in a few seconds the medical staff with the stretcher approached. Touching the injured sitting on the athlete's path, they intended to lay him down and take him from the battlefield. But Derek Redmond gave a signal to the orderlies, got up and, jumping on one leg, decided to finish his last career distance. This is the Olympics, where one participation is already a virtue. He was given the opportunity to represent the beauty and speed of the race, sports in general, track and field athletics, the country, the coach, his relatives, and he did not leave the race, and, overcoming the pain (torn ligaments were broken), continued it, jumping on one leg, supporting with the right leg, so that she does not drag along because of uncontrollability.
Once again, the judges tried to persuade himfinish the race, again waving, Derek was already approaching the finish line. Again, a hand touched his shoulder, throwing it off, he heard a familiar voice - "Son, you should not do this." It's hard to imagine how many rows of security had to go through Derek's father to get out on the treadmill to his son. The athlete could not hold back his tears, seeing his father, with pain and shame, that he could not adequately complete his crowning distance. "I must do it!", The son reiterated to his father. "Then we'll do it together!", The father replied. And so it was that what no one expected, Derek Redmond and his father approached the finish line. Only then did Father let Derek finish his last historic run alone. All 65 000 spectators in the stadium applauded standing to the finish of the sportsman. Although Derek Redmond was disqualified from the competition due to a violation of the rules (using third-party help at a distance and spacing on a nearby track), but it already did not matter. Yes, this was Derek Redmond's last run, but what he and his father did is worthy of individual medals that they do not give out, but they are awarded forever. The Olympic Committee on the basis of this case issued a motivational slogan to the presentation video for the Olympics: "The force is calculated in kilograms, the speed in seconds, but you can not measure the courage." All newspapers wrote more about this semifinal than about all competitions with headlines - "The victory of humanity at the 1992 Olympics!". Sponsors signed advertising contracts with Derek Redmond, and in 2008 he appeared in the commercials "Visa" and "Nike". Also this video moment has flown around the world and is still a motivating roller both in sport, business, and in ordinary life for many people.
After two years of treatment, Dr. Derek Redmondgave a verdict that he would never again be able to flee quickly and with performances in athletics will have to finish his career. But with the support of his father Jim (who on January 10, 2012 was instructed to carry the torch relay of the Olympic flame), Derek continued to pursue other sports. He played basketball for a local club, won the "Gladiator Games" in his homeland and was later a judge there. He was a commentator on Eurosport, led a basketball show on television, participated in motorcycle races. Today he is co-owner of the Superbike team. Participates in conferences and advises a young generation of runners. In 1994, Derek Redmond played a wedding with a silver medalist in swimming Sharron Davis. In the marriage they had two children, but unfortunately, in 2000 their marriage broke up. In 2011, Derek married for the second time to Mary Yates.
