Viral: Remembering an emotional moment between Jim Redmond and his Olympian son on Father's day
They say holding hands with each other makes you feel and be stronger. But if there's one person in the world who not only holds your hand since your birth but also holds your entire being through life with their hands behind your back, it's a father. Their silent but symbolic support can carry one through any hurdle of life.
One such father was Jim Redmond , who created one of the most iconic and memorable moments in Olympic history . Redmond, whose son Derek was a participant in a 400-meter men's race at the 1992 Games, jumped onto the track to help his injured son and make his way across the finishing line.
The father who was just supporting his son through a difficult time in life, helping him complete his dream, is still remembered by people every Father's Day .
Derek Redmond- a loved son and famous sprinter
Derek Redmond was a popular sprinter from England who was widely supported to win a medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. He had been a member of the 1991 English men's relay team which had won the gold at the world championships. He ran the fastest time in his 400-meter qualifying round and won the quarterfinal race in Barcelona.
Derek took his place in the fifth lane for the semi-finals at the Olympic Stadium with some 65,000 people watching, including his father.
In the beginning, he was off to a good start and with 250 metres to go and three runners ahead of him, he seemed ready to begin his journey to the finishing line.
However, suddenly he reached to the back of his thigh and began hopping. He had pulled his hamstring and crumpled to pain in the ground. While attendees rushed to help he stood back up again and kept on moving ahead even though other runners had crossed the finishing line.
“It was all animal instinct,” he told The New York Times few days after the race. “I kept thinking I could still catch the other runners. I didn’t want to quit. I’m a very selfish person.”
The film crew turned to see his father entering the track wearing a Nike cap, blue shorts and a white T-shirt that read "Have you hugged your feet today?"
An attendant tried to stop him but he blew him away to move ahead and reach his ailing ceremony.
“You don’t have to do this,” Derek recalled his father telling him. “You don’t have to put yourself through this.”
But Derek insisted he had to finish, and thus his father said, "we're going to finish this together."
“I don’t speak Spanish and I wasn’t going to be stopped by anything,” he told the reporters a few days later.
By the time they reached the finishing line, the crowd was up and roaring, and the camera crew was surrounding them recording a moment that was not only emotional but also iconic.
Social media reactions
Recently, a social media account took to X to share the iconic video of Derek and Jim, writing, "No Father's Day is complete without this video."
The post which has received 185.9K views made many emotional and teary-eyed online.
"holy shit tears. I'm not crying! you're crying!" commented a user under the post.
"This is so hard to watch .. the love of a father is beyond words 😢" added another.
"Not a lot can bring watery eyes to me but this hit hard" claimed another X user.
Many wrote how the moment was the perfect definition of what love is, "What love really is❤️"
The video which resurfaces every time around is the perfect definition of a father's love- silent yet bold enough to carry you through it all.
One such father was Jim Redmond , who created one of the most iconic and memorable moments in Olympic history . Redmond, whose son Derek was a participant in a 400-meter men's race at the 1992 Games, jumped onto the track to help his injured son and make his way across the finishing line.
The father who was just supporting his son through a difficult time in life, helping him complete his dream, is still remembered by people every Father's Day .
Derek Redmond- a loved son and famous sprinter
Derek Redmond was a popular sprinter from England who was widely supported to win a medal at the 1992 Games in Barcelona. He had been a member of the 1991 English men's relay team which had won the gold at the world championships. He ran the fastest time in his 400-meter qualifying round and won the quarterfinal race in Barcelona.
A true father-son moment
Derek took his place in the fifth lane for the semi-finals at the Olympic Stadium with some 65,000 people watching, including his father.
In the beginning, he was off to a good start and with 250 metres to go and three runners ahead of him, he seemed ready to begin his journey to the finishing line.
However, suddenly he reached to the back of his thigh and began hopping. He had pulled his hamstring and crumpled to pain in the ground. While attendees rushed to help he stood back up again and kept on moving ahead even though other runners had crossed the finishing line.
“It was all animal instinct,” he told The New York Times few days after the race. “I kept thinking I could still catch the other runners. I didn’t want to quit. I’m a very selfish person.”
The film crew turned to see his father entering the track wearing a Nike cap, blue shorts and a white T-shirt that read "Have you hugged your feet today?"
An attendant tried to stop him but he blew him away to move ahead and reach his ailing ceremony.
“You don’t have to do this,” Derek recalled his father telling him. “You don’t have to put yourself through this.”
But Derek insisted he had to finish, and thus his father said, "we're going to finish this together."
“I don’t speak Spanish and I wasn’t going to be stopped by anything,” he told the reporters a few days later.
By the time they reached the finishing line, the crowd was up and roaring, and the camera crew was surrounding them recording a moment that was not only emotional but also iconic.
Social media reactions
Recently, a social media account took to X to share the iconic video of Derek and Jim, writing, "No Father's Day is complete without this video."
The post which has received 185.9K views made many emotional and teary-eyed online.
"holy shit tears. I'm not crying! you're crying!" commented a user under the post.
"This is so hard to watch .. the love of a father is beyond words 😢" added another.
"Not a lot can bring watery eyes to me but this hit hard" claimed another X user.
Many wrote how the moment was the perfect definition of what love is, "What love really is❤️"
The video which resurfaces every time around is the perfect definition of a father's love- silent yet bold enough to carry you through it all.
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