In a heartwarming display of sportsmanship, a Belgian athlete named Jolien Boumkwo participated in the 100m hurdles event at the European Athletics Team Championships in Poland.
Despite finishing nearly 20 seconds behind the rest of the field, Boumkwo received widespread applause and appreciation for her efforts.
Typically a hammer throw and shot-put athlete, Boumkwo selflessly stepped in to save her nation’s team when Belgium’s regular hurdlers, Anne Zagre and Hanne Claes, were both injured.
At the European Championships, points are awarded for every competitor and event so Boumkwo added to her nation’s tally by competing.
And more than that, Belgium would have been disqualified had no athlete competed in the event.
Boumkwo had already competed in the shot put on Friday, finishing seventh, before quite literally stepping forward to run for her nation.
The 29-year-old finished the race without knocking any of the hurdles down in 32.81 seconds, 19 seconds after Spanish sprinter Teresa Errandonea who won with 13.22.
Boumkwo was applauded by the audience and congratulated by her rivals as she earned two points for the team.
She holds the national record of 17.09m for shot put, achieved in 2016.
The points earned could prove crucial as the bottom three countries will be relegated from Division 1.