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The men's 3,000m steeplechase qualifier at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will not be remembered for its winners alone but for a moment of human kindness that captivated the crowd. Belgian runner Tim Van de Velde and Colombian competitor Carlos San Martín both endured heavy misfortunes during the race, but their decision to finish together has turned into one of the championship's defining images. Van de Velde, who had been leading the pack early on, collided with a barrier and crashed into the water obstacle, losing all chance of progressing. San Martín also struggled after clipping a hurdle and stumbling badly, an accident that later saw him leave the track in a wheelchair.
As the two athletes found themselves at the back, with all other runners having crossed the finish line, Van de Velde noticed San Martín struggling at the final barrier. Rather than push ahead, the Belgian jogged back, placed an arm around his rival, and crossed the line in solidarity. San Martín clocked 9:02.20, finishing just a fraction ahead of Van de Velde at 9:02.21. Both athletes may have lost the race but gained admiration worldwide.
Van de Velde later explained that he remembered the helplessness he had felt after a fall at last year's European Championships in Rome, where he broke his collarbone. Sharing the finish line, he said, was his way of ensuring his opponent did not suffer the indignity of finishing alone. "We both had bad luck," he told the press. "So why not share it together?"
The heat was eventually won by Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali, the Olympic gold medalist from both Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, who completed the race in 8:26.99. Yet it was not the speed but the sportsmanship that lingered in the minds of spectators. The image of Van de Velde and San Martín embracing as they limped to the finish has since been hailed as a timeless reminder of the values of athletics beyond medals and records.
