Kenyan long-distance runner Daniel Simiu’s remarkable act of sportsmanship during the World Road Running Championships has earned him a well-deserved nomination for the World Athletics International Fair Play Award. Simiu’s selfless gesture allowed his compatriot Sabastian Sawe to claim victory in the Half Marathon at the championships held in Riga, Latvia earlier this month.
As the two athletes approached the final stretch of the race, spectators and fellow competitors were left astonished by Simiu’s actions. Rather than pushing for a personal victory, Simiu made a gesture and smiled at Sawe, allowing him to overtake and secure the top spot on the podium. Sabastian Sawe completed the Half Marathon with a time of 59:10, closely followed by Simiu at 59:14 and Samwel Nyamai Mailu at 59:19, who finished second and third, respectively.
Simiu explained his decision, stating, “It’s not that I was not strong…I wanted to tell the world that there are good people out there, and it’s not always about winning. I wanted Sawe to win because I have been on the world stage, so I wanted him to win and I wanted to send a message to the world that there is humanity.”
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Now, Daniel Simiu’s act of humility and sportsmanship has garnered him a nomination for the prestigious International Fair Play Award. Fans have been invited to vote for their favorite moment through World Athletics’ social media platforms. These votes will be combined with the jury’s votes to determine three finalists for the Fair Play Award, with the announcement scheduled for November 7.
Simiu’s sportsmanship is one of six acts of remarkable fair play that have been nominated for this prestigious award. These include Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia comforting Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan after a dramatic fall during the women’s 10,000m at the World Athletics
Championships in Budapest. Sifan Hassan, despite her fall, displayed grace in defeat and went on to claim silver in the 5000m and bronze in the 1500m, earning her a nomination as well.
Other moments recognized for their sportsmanship include a spontaneous embrace between Jamaica’s Shericka Jackson and USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson after their respective gold and bronze medal wins in the women’s 200m final in Budapest. Additionally, Australia’s Nina Kennedy and USA’s Katie Moon decided to share the gold medal in the pole vault at the World Athletics Championships after multiple attempts at 4.95m couldn’t separate them.
The final act of sportsmanship involved Britain’s Jessica Warner-Judd, who, after finishing eighth in the 10,000m final at the World Athletics Championships, took the time to wait and shake hands with the last-placed runner, who had completed the event some distance behind the rest of the field.
The winner of the International Fair Play Award will be revealed on World Athletics’ platforms leading up to the World Athletics Awards in Monaco on December 11. Daniel Simiu’s exemplary gesture serves as a shining example of the spirit of sportsmanship and camaraderie in the world of athletics.
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