Posted by CatTales
on 8/2/2009, 1:44 am
24.210.46.244
JOCKS BEHAVING EXCEPTIONALLY
A Medal Ceremony That Won’t Soon Be Forgotten
At the Kansas State High School Activities Association Track and Field Championships last May, the women’s 3,200-meter relay team from St. Mary’s-Colgan was hoping to repeat as state champs.
In the finals, Colgan’s Emmalia White felt her muscles tightening up halfway through her 800-meter leg. Gutting out the finish, she barely reached her baton out to the next runner before she collapsed onto the track. Her effort enabled the Panthers to cruise to victory and win their second straight state title.
It wasn’t until they were standing on the awards podium that they heard over the intercom that when making her baton pass, White had lunged just over the legal handoff zone. St. Mary’s-Colgan was disqualified. Within seconds, their elation turned to shock.
Second-place finisher Maranatha Academy, which had been preparing for the race for a long time and had devoted themselves to bringing home the medal, was awarded first place.
Which was what made their subsequent decisions all the more laudable.
First, although they’d all seen the violation, they decided to say nothing. “We saw the girl step over the line,” coach Bernie Zarda told The Wichita Eagle afterward, “but if they didn’t call it, we weren’t going to protest it.”
Second, they went to the scorers’ table to try to change the decision but were rebuffed.
Third, they unanimously chose their last option. After being announced state champs, the four girls removed their medals on the podium and handed them to the runners from St. Mary’s-Colgan.
“When we heard ‘Disqualification,’ we started tearing up because we didn’t deserve first place,” said Allison Bailey, who’d run the anchor for Maranatha. “[They] rightfully deserved it.”
“That’s such a class act,” Colgan coach Cathy Oplotnik said afterward. “That’s completely awesome that they would be willing to give up their medals.”
What we allow, we encourage.
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