Elvan Abeylegesse scoops fair play award
Tue 19/01/2010 10:45
Two-time Olympic 10,000m silver medallist
Elvan Abeylegesse is to be awarded a prize from the International Fair Play Committee for a selfless act at last summer
IAAF World Championships in Berlin, spikesmag.com reports.
The Turkish distance runner has awarded with the Pierre de Coubertin World Fair Play Trophy for lending one of her rivals, Ethiopia’s Meselech Melkamu a spare pair of her spikes ahead of the 10,000m final.
Melkamu, who went on to win the silver medal, had left her spikes in the hotel room.
Abeylegesse was forced to abandon attempts to complete the race on lap seven because of injury.
According to the Anadolu Agency Abeylegesse, who is to be formerly handed the honour in March, said:
“I am very surprised and happy as well for receiving this prize.”
Athletes lending their competitors spikes is not an unheard of action in the sport.
In the countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games spikesmag.com reported how two-time World 100m hurdles champion Michelle Perry allowed her financially strapped training partner Dawn Harper to borrow a pair of her shoes.
Harper then went on to take the Olympic 100m hurdles gold medal in China.