Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 28 | Page 18

Abbey D'Agostino's

Amazing Sportsmanship Captures Worldwide Headlines in Rio

by Rhonda Price
Garden of Life® brand ambassador
and distance runner Abbey D’Agostino
captured headlines worldwide in the
Olympic Games by proving she had a heart
of gold rather than obsessing over a medal
of gold.
After narrowly missing the cut for the
5,000-meter race at the U.S. Track & Field
trials in Eugene, Oregon, Abbey was added
to Team USA at the last minute when two
qualifiers dropped out to focus on the
10,000-meter run. Determined to make
the most of the opportunity, the Topsfield,
Massachusetts native packed her bags and
set off to pursue her dream.
After arriving in Rio, her aspirations of
winning a medal vanished when she
collided with New Zealand runner Nikki
Hamblin in the 5,000-meter qualifying
round. Despite falling on the track and
gasping with pain, she immediately stood
up to offer help and encourage Hamblin to
finish the race. With two kilometers left to
run, Abbey’s pain intensified and she felt
her right knee wobbling. Determined to
complete the event, she reached the finish
line in last place and embraced
Hamblin as the crowd cheered.
“Before the race started,
God made clear to me that
my experience in Rio was going to be
about more than my performance,” Abbey
said. “And as soon as Nikki got up, I knew
that was it. “
Track officials awarded both women
a spot in the finals. However, an MRI
administered by the Team USA medical
team revealed that Abbey suffered
a season-ending injury known as an
Unhappy Triad—a complete tear of
the anterior cruciate ligament, medial
collateral ligament, and the medial
meniscus. On crutches and facing months
16 Extraordinary Health™ • Vol 28

of physical therapy and rehab, Abbey was
nonetheless grateful for her experience
that reflected the true spirit of the Games.
Surprisingly, Abbey did not walk away
without a medal. The International
Olympic Committee awarded both
runners the prestigious Pierre de
Coubertin award, more commonly known
as the International Fair Play Trophy. The
award has only been bestowed 17 times
in Olympic history and is reserved for
athletes, volunteers or officials who have
demonstrated the Olympic spirit.

“I am proud of what we did, and truly
believe that you can be both a competitor
and kind and responsive at the same
time,” she said.
As Abbey continues her running career,
she’ll be relying on her favorite Garden of
Life supplements, including RAW Organic
Protein, Organic Plant Protein and mykind
Organics multivitamins to keep her
properly fueled.
“I like the Vanilla Chai and Almond Butter
flavors the best,” Abbey said about her
protein shakes. “They taste great!”