Jim Redmond, Father Who Helped Injured Olympic Sprinter to Finish Line, Dies at 81

Jim Redmond, the man who moved the hearts of Olympic spectators around the world after helping his injured son cross the finish line at the 1992 Barcelona Games, has died. The Olympic Games’ official Twitter account confirmed Redmond’s death on Tuesday, with the British Olympic Association calling his act of fatherly love an iconic sports moment that “will never be forgotten.” A cause of death was not immediately disclosed. Redmond was 81. British athlete Derek Redmond was at the top of the home straight in the 1992 Games’ 400m semi-final when he tore his hamstring. Refusing to quit the race, the hobbling sprinter was soon joined by his father, who left his seat in the stands and pushed his way past officials. The pair crossed the finish line to a standing ovation, with Derek in tears. “Whatever happened, he had to finish and I was going to help him finish,” Jim told the BBC shortly after the race. “We started his career together and we were going to finish it together.”