Crowd Cheers As High School Track Champ Helps Competitor Over the Finish Line

When helping each other becomes more important than your own personal goals, you can say that this is "Redemption behavior." The best part of this story is that it made national news.


WLS state champ lends a helping hand

Meghan Vogel

By Dave Long, Contributing Writer, Springfield News-Sun                                          Updated 11:37 AM Sunday, June 3, 2012                             

COLUMBUS — Lending a helping hand was more satisfying than winning a state championship Saturday for Meghan Vogel.

The West Liberty-Salem High School junior was the surprise winner in the Division III girls 1,600 meters in the finals of the state track meet at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Stadium.

She broke away from race favorite Tammy Berger of Versailles and Delainey Phelps of Toledo Christian with 300 meters to go. She won going away in 4:58.31. It was the first time she had broken the five-minute mark.

What Vogel did at the end of the D-III 3,200 meters, however, got her a standing ovation.

Within 20 feet of the finish line, Arden McMath, a sophomore from Arlington High School, collapsed in front of Vogel. Rather than run by her, Vogel helped McMath to her feet and helped her across the finish line.

The crowd came to its feet with the roar growing louder with each step.

“Helping her across the finish line was a lot more satisfying than winning the state championship,” admitted Vogel.

By rule, a runner in track or cross country is automatically disqualified for aiding another runner. In this instance, however, meet management took no action. McMath was given 14th place in 12:29.90 and Vogel 15th in 12:30.24. Vogel made sure McMath crossed the finish line first because she had been ahead of her.

“What a selfless act,” said Arlington coach Paul Hunter. “She could have just gone around Arden. But she chose to help. I’ve never seen that at a state meet. That’s real sportsmanship.”