Diego Mentriga waited for his opponent to cross the finish line first.
A triathlete has won praise for his display of sportsmanship in allowing his opponent to cross the finish line first during a race in Spain. Spanish triathlete Diego Mentriga noticed that his competitor took a wrong turn just before the finish line of Santander Triathlon, reports the Daily Mail. The small but crucial error by British athlete James Teagle could have worked in Mr Mentriga's favour, allowing him to take the third spot in the marathon and a place upon the podium.
But the 21-year-old displayed heartwarming sportsmanship when he stopped at the finish line and allowed Mr Teagle to cross it first. "He was in front of me the whole time. He deserved it," Diego Mentriga reportedly said.
Footage shows the British athlete running into a fence during the marathon in Barcelona. After realising his opponent's error, Diego Mentriga slowed down to let him cross the finish line first. Mr Teagle showed his gratitude by shaking his hand before stepping over the finish line.
A video of Mr Mentriga surrendering the race - and consequently a bronze medal - to his rival has gone massively viral on social media. Watch it below:
The footage has garnered a whopping 6.6 million views on Twitter, where it has been flooded with praise for Mr Mentriga.
"So classy and decent," wrote one, while another said, "What a gesture! He is a true winner in life."
Mr Teagle also praised his competitor afterwards. "I thought it was over. But Diego Méntriga did something unexpected. He let me pass. It shows an incredible sportsmanship and showed proof of integrity on his part!" he was quoted as saying by SVT Sport.
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