The Power of One

Ashton Eaton set a new world record in the decathlon yesterday at the Olympic trials.  I wish I had seen it. The final of 10 track and field events in the decathlon is the 1500m. Eaton needed to run a PR to break the record. He had competed in a persistent and often heavy rain over the course of 2 days in 9 other events. Before the race he said that he was so tired he just wanted to lay down and go to sleep.

Curtis Beach is the Duke runner you see in this picture to the right of Eaton. He and Joe Detmer ran a fast race. Eaton pushed himself to keep up. Beach was expected to easily win the 1500m. As Eaton rounded the back stretch it was announced he was 2 seconds off the world record.  "In one of the classiest gestures you'll ever see in any sport, Curtis Beach, leading the 1500 as Eaton sprinted down the straight, moved out, slowed and waved Eaton across the line first."       (runner'sworld.com)

The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society. — Jack Kemp