Emotional Scene as Last-Place Race Walker Crosses Finish Line in Tears

In Friday’s Hot Clicks: one of the most inspirational moments of the Olympics, a buzzer beater in wrestling and more.

He didn’t give up. 

Race walking is the Olympic sport everyone loves to make fun of. And why not? Just the name of the event sounds oxymoronic. Plus, the competitors sure look goofy as they wiggle their hips and swing their arms while moving at less-than-breakneck speeds. But Friday’s men’s 50km (31-mile) race gave us one of the most inspiring performances of these Olympics. 

The race was the final edition of the 50km at the Olympics. While men and women will compete in the 20km walk in Paris in 2024, the 50km is being dropped from the program in the name of gender equality. (Women don’t compete in the 50km and rather than adding a women’s race at that distance, organizers are scrapping it altogether.) That means Poland‘s Dawid Tomala will (likely) go down in history as the final Olympic champion in the 50km, with a time of 3:50:08. While Tomala’s name will go down in the record books, the last man to cross the finish line in the 50km also deserves to be remembered. 

Ecuador’s Claudio Villanueva Flores finished dead last in Friday’s race (4:53:09), more than an hour behind Tomala and 20 minutes behind his next closest competitor. But his determination to reach the finish line made for a powerful scene. He received a hearty round of applause and cheers from the small group of spectators and broke down in tears as he crossed the line. Race organizers offered to take him away in a wheelchair after he fell to his knees, but Flores refused. 

Dropping out of the 50km is nothing to be ashamed of. Ten of the 59 walkers who entered the race did not finish, including world record holder Yohann Diniz of France.  Walking seven miles more than a marathon in under five hours is a daunting task. No one could have begrudged Flores if he decided to bow out, but he persevered and produced one of the lasting images of the Tokyo Games. 

The best of SI

A coxswain at the 1900 Olympics could be the youngest gold medalist ever, but no one knows his name. ... Is Russell Westbrook going to work as the third option on the Lakers? ... Tom Flores will finally be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. What took so long? ... Barcelona blamed everyone but itself for Lionel Messi’s shocking exit. 

Around the sports world

Allyson Felix closed out her Olympic career with a bronze medal in the 400 meters, her 10th medal. ... The Cubs are petitioning the city of Chicago to add a two-story sportsbook onto Wrigley Field. ... PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino confirmed the club is in negotiations with Messi. 

American wrestler Gable Steveson won gold at the buzzer

WHAT JUST HAPPENED! 🥇@GableSteveson grabs the GOLD as time expires. #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/yqMc3wbXsu

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2021

And then he did backflip

DO A FLIP!@GableSteveson x #TokyoOlympicspic.twitter.com/PpSNj8wUSc

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 6, 2021

With athleticism like that, it’s no surprise he has his eyes on WWE.

Modern pentathlon competitors get paired with random horses on the day of the event, which means sometimes this happens

A lot of NFL players are showing their asses

Cousins said he has thought about surrounding himself with plexiglass in the QB room. He was asked why he would go to such lengths when a vaccine would be far more effective and efficient. He said the decision is personal and private.

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 5, 2021

At least we know he’s getting the best information

Kirk Cousins says he's been doing a lot of research. When asked if he's made contact with Dr. Allen Sills, he says no

— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) August 5, 2021

It’s been that kind of season for the Nats

Here's the high-frame-rate zoomed-in version of the ball knocking the latch on the door open. Weird. pic.twitter.com/RwlC13RMs0

— Blake Finney (@FinneyBlake) August 5, 2021

The Field of Dreams game uniforms are pretty nice but the Nike swoosh feels so out of place

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by MLB ⚾ (@mlb)

No, it’s Iowa. pic.twitter.com/8beP9XrWLV

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) August 5, 2021

And here’s what the field looks like

One week from today, the ⁦@whitesox⁩ and ⁦@Yankees⁩ play at the Field of Dreams. Look at these photos, courtesy of @MLB. Yes, that is a corn maze in the likeness of the MLB logo. 👀 ⁦@MLBNetwork⁩ pic.twitter.com/ZCdQG5ivX2

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) August 5, 2021

Gotta play during the hottest part of the day for that primetime American audience, though!

It is HOT at the beach volleyball court for the final! #TokyoOlympics x @TeamUSA

📺 : NBC
💻 : https://t.co/Ypv6rXEMqq
📱: NBC Sports App pic.twitter.com/PNFz7be8Hn

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2021

Somehow, Alex Reyes is not the first pitcher this season with three bases-loaded walks in an inning

What an experience.

The Cardinals walk in 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 consecutive runs in the eighth inning 👀 pic.twitter.com/N3p0OrILKQ

— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 6, 2021

The guy has a way with words

Patriots’ HC Bill Belichick on his team practicing in the rain today: "If it rains, it rains. If it doesn't, it doesn't. If it's hot, it's hot. If it's not, then that's what it is.”

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 5, 2021

This hung in the air forever

JOEY GALLO GOES HIGH TO THE PORCH FOR HIS FIRST YANKEE HOMER!

(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/1GpCewQnhG

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 6, 2021

The apology wasn’t exactly great, either

How to lose your job as a social media manager in one post.

For 20 minutes the official Juventus Women's account had this post up. Awful. pic.twitter.com/eehjorYg1q

— Dexerto (@Dexerto) August 5, 2021

Not sports

A woman who bought scratch-off tickets to pass the time while waiting for a delayed flight wound up winning $1 million. ... An overdue book was returned 50 years later to a library in Pennsylvania with $20 and a note. 

What could go wrong when you use a Sodastream to carbonate milk?

A good song

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