Honesty V/S
Victory
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Spanish runner Iván Fernández Anaya encourages Olympic
bronze medallist Abel Mutai of Kenya across
the finish line during a cross-country running event in Spain last
December. Mutai slowed as he neared the finish line, believing he’d won when he
was still several meters from the tape. Realizing his competitor’s mistake,
Anaya approached Mutai from behind and motioned him to the proper finishing
line.
Pic courtesy - http://www.globalpost.com
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When I, me,
mine is all that matters in this world, incidents such as these come as a breath of
fresh air.
The question
that comes to my mind is: what would have I done if I was in Ivan Fernandez
Ananya’s shoes? Surely, I would have made the most of this godsend opportunity and ran as
fast as I could and clinch the Gold Medal for myself. After all, it’s my rival
Mutai’s fault, I would think. “How could he commit such a big blunder on an international
stage?”
Obviously,
when you are losing, when life seems to be at the end of your tether, you give two hoots to values, such as “honesty” and “loyalty.” All that matters is winning. "Do or Die," mindset prevails over.
But see what Ananya did! Only a man with a
golden heart could've managed to make such a magnificent sacrifice. And Ananya obviously had one. It’s a saintly
act! Don't you agree? And this is what he had to say after the event: “I didn’t deserve to
win it.” “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.”
However, Martin
Fiz, Anaya’s coach was not happy with his student. He said, “The gesture,
undoubtedly, has made him a better person, but not a better athlete and further
added: “He has wasted an occasion. Winning always makes you more of an athlete.
You have to go out to win.”
Most of us
might agree with coach’s way of thinking. Isn’t it? Anyway, in case Anaya had reached
the finishing line first, would that Gold medal mattered to him much?
A classic case of God proposing and a man disposing. Hope, the same God bestows him with his choicest blessings.
Hail Fernández Anaya's Honest Spirit
Jini Maxin
