Politics
NEW: Olympic Athlete Carted Off After Horrific Crash DURING Event
A horrific fall during the steeplechase at the Paris Olympics ended with one of the event’s stars being carted off by medical responders.
Lamecha Girma, the world record holder for the men’s 3,000m steeplechase, suffered a cataclysmic fall over one of the track’s barriers during his final lap. With just 200m to go, the Ethiopian track star crashed into the barrier and took a nasty spill on the rubber track, curling over in misery and clutching his arm as officials rushed in to provide aid. The fall was so bad that Girma’s head was situated in a medical brace before he was loaded onto a stretcher and carried away, according to the Daily Star. The incident caused so much commotion during media coverage of the Olympics that organizers were forced to respond with a statement about Girma’s medical status.
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“Following his fall in the 3,000m steeplechase, Lamecha Girma received immediate care from the on-site medical teams. Our thoughts are with him and we are sending him our very best wishes for a swift recovery. Paris 2024 is in close contact with the Ethiopian NOC to stay updated on his condition,” the IOC said in a statement to the outlet. Resting in a hospital bed, Girma was photographed by his handlers who posted on Instagram that the 23-year-old is doing better than expected and on the road to recovery. “Lamecha Girma is making a strong recovery, and the Ethiopian Olympics team paid him a visit at the hospital. #RoadToRecovery #Paris2024,” read the post.
WATCH:
Talk about a case of bad karma in the steeplechase.
Girma pushes and claws his way through the crowd. At one point it appears he pulls the runner (who eventually wins). And then Girma immediately takes a nasty fall. #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/I2yOZEfjSP
— 🍍Andy Splatz🍍 (@AndySplatz) August 8, 2024
It’s a disappointing end to Girma’s second Olympics run after he secured a silver medal three years ago at the Tokyo Games. A downtrodden Girma was photographed with a distant look in his eyes though thankfully didn’t appear to have any skin burns from the fall, and at just 23 he is certain to be afforded another opportunity to go for the gold in four years at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Media coverage of violent ends at the Olympics has been overwhelmingly focused on women’s boxing where two fighters with male chromosomes were allowed to compete despite being disqualified by the International Boxing Association two years earlier. Angela Carini of Italy abandoned her pursuit of a gold medal after sparring with Algeria’s Imane Khelif, who failed a gender test but was allowed to compete in the female division. The match lasted just 46 seconds before Carini threw in the towel, prompting outcries from prominent swimmer and women’s sports activist Riley Gaines, among others. “Men don’t belong in women’s sports #IStandWithAngelaCarini,” wrote the former University of Kentucky swimmer last week.
In another contentious boxing match, Lin Yu-ting, 28, competing for Taiwan, punched Uzbek fighter Sitora Turdibekova to the point of tears on Friday after three rounds of a punishing assault that drew international headlines for its one-sidedness. Videos of the match circulating online show Lin delivering crushing blows to the face and body of Turdibekova who walked away after the third round with her head hanging in defeat. Lin was allowed to compete despite previous disqualifications by the International Boxing Association for failing her gender test. The two did not embrace or congratulate one another as Lin was declared the winner.
