Short Stories

Is winning all that counts?

December 2012

In a cross-country race in Burlada, Navarre, an athlete Abel Mutai representing Kenya confused with the signage, stopped just about 10 meters before the finish, thinking he crossed the line. The Spanish athlete who was right behind him, Ivan Fernandez realized what was happening and started shouting at the Kenyan to continue running, but Mutai didn't understand Spanish and didn't move. Ivan, instead of taking advantage of the situation, pushed him to victory.

A journalist asked Ivan, "Why did you do that?"

Ivan replied, "He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn't have closed"

"I didn't deserve to win it," said the 24-year-old Ivan Fernandez. "I did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn't have closed if he hadn't made a mistake. As soon as I saw he was stopping, I knew I wasn't going to pass him."

The journalist insisted again, "But you could have won!" 

Ivan looked at him and replied, "But what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor of that medal? What would my mom think of that?"

"It was a very good gesture of honesty," said Fiz, Fernández Anaya's coach "A gesture of the kind that isn't made anymore. Or rather, of the kind that has never been made. A gesture that I myself wouldn't have made. I certainly would have taken advantage of it to win."

Values are transmitted from generation to generation. What values are we teaching our children? Let us not teach our kids the wrong ways & means to WIN"