Sportsmanship personified: Athlete drags struggling competitor across finish line, wins hearts

In a rare show of sportsmanship, Braima Dabo of Guinea Bissau helped Jonathan Busby of Aruba to finish his 5000-metre race at the World Athletics Championship in Doha on Friday. Busby had collapsed in the Qatar heat.

Braima Dabo of Guinea Bissau helps Jonathan Busby of Aruba finish their 5000-metre race at the World Athletics Championship in Doha on Friday (AP Photo)

In a rare show of sportsmanship which is winning hearts across the world, Braima Dabo of Guinea Bissau helped Jonathan Busby of Aruba to finish their 5000-metre race at the World Athletics Championship in Doha on Friday.

Sport is about so much more than just your own performance.

👏👏 to Braima Suncar Dabo🇬🇼 and Jonathan Busby🇦🇼 at the #WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/pYVeROMMYP

— IAAF (@iaaforg) September 27, 2019

The heartwarming moment, which took place in the first heat of the men’s 5000-metre race, has become viral on social media and is being touted as one of the greatest shows of sportsmanship in recent times.

Dabo offered his shoulder to Busby for almost the whole of the last lap, as the entire crowd cheered on the duo as they made their way slowly to the finish line much after the rest of the pack had crossed the finish line.

Braima Dabo of Guinea Bissau looks on as Jonathan Busby of Aruba collapses during their 5000-metre race (AP Photo)

They finished more than four minutes behind the rest of the athletes in their heat. Touchingly, Busby was seen using his last ounce of energy to stop his wristwatch after he crossed the finish line – the watch which presumably showed that he had clocked a new personal best – which would, however, be nullified later as he would be disqualified.

When athletes traveled to the stadium on Friday it was 37 degrees Celsius with a ‘real feel’ temperature of 50 degrees Celsius. The heat has been one of the most talked-about factors surrounding the staging of the Athletics Worlds in Qatar.

Sportsmanship personified.

Braima Suncar Dabo🇬🇼 helps Jonathan Busby🇦🇼 in the men’s 5000m heats.#WorldAthleticsChamps pic.twitter.com/nc3DuCqbmY

— IAAF (@iaaforg) September 27, 2019

“I just wanted to help the guy finish the race,” Dabo was quoted as saying by AFP after the race. “I wanted to help him cross the line. I think anyone in that situation would hve done the same thing,” added Dabo, who is a student in Portugal.

Despite the finish – nearly five minutes behind heat winner Selemon Barega of Ethiopia – Dabo’s time of 18min 10.87sec was still a personal best. But there was a sting in the sporting tail for Busby, who was disqualified.