Runners are famously competitive people, and they train for years for their races. It’s easy to get tunnel vision when you’re competing and challenging yourself to give it your all and most importantly, finish successfully. Ideally, an athlete wins because that’s usually the ultimate goal. However, we frequently see stories about athletes who seem to remember that it’s mostly about sportsmanship and if you’re only focused on winning, you’re doing something wrong. A young man from Penn High School in Indiana showed what his real priorities are recently when he stopped to help a competitor who had fallen during an important race.
Ben Boardley is an 18-year-old athlete who was competing at the cross country state finals race for IHSAA on Halloween. Near the end of the race, Ben saw that a fellow runner had fallen to the ground. It was Faizan Khan from Brebeuf Jesuit, his competitor. Without even thinking twice about it, Ben forfeited his position and darted to the side to help Khan. The move was caught on video and quickly went viral on Twitter. “I have no idea who these two high school runners were, but great sportsmanship by one of the boys to help a fellow competitor who was struggling to finish,” WTHI-TV Sports Director Rick Semmler tweeted.
I have no idea who these two high school runners were, but great sportsmanship by one of the boys to help a fellow competitor who was struggling to finish. pic.twitter.com/cx90k85fHc
— Rick Semmler (@Rick_Sports10) October 31, 2020
The two boys weren’t in their teams’ top fives and they finished 189th and 193rd out of 207. However, most people agree that Ben is a winner in every way that matters. “Hats off to our very own Penn Cross Country runner Ben Boardley showing what it means to be a true Kingsmen & Sportsman!” the Penn High School Facebook page shared. “Now this is #PHMExcellence.” The school added that “he finished #1 in our book.” Ben didn’t even realize that he could have been disqualified for his helpful actions, but the rulebook from the National Federation of State High School Associations ruled that there should be no DQ.
The rule specifically says that if a competitor stops to provide assistance to an injured or ill competitor, he shouldn’t be disqualified as long as the “individual competitor providing the assistance nor his/her team gains an advantage as a result of providing the assistance.” As for Ben, it was pretty simple to him. “I just kind of saw it and did it,” Boardley said. “I guess that’s how my parents raised me. They taught me to treat others how I’d want to be treated, and to be helpful when I can.” Khan says, “I know what Ben’s priorities are, and what his true character is like.”
