You can also listen to all of these Top 10 stories on BBC Radio London’s annual interview with PR Smith, hosted by Phil Parry.
In 10th Place: Premier League Football: A Conscientious Captain Consoles Opposition Player
Everton v Spurs in Nov. Everton’s André Gomez, sustained an horrendous injury – a broken and dislocated ankle – after a tackle from Spurs player, Heung Min Son. Several players held their hands on their heads in shock when they saw the injury. Son was particularly disturbed by it. He was also given a red card. After the game, Everton captain, Seamus Coleman, went into the Spurs changing room to console Son. The Spurs manager thanked the Everton captain afterwards. In his first game after the suspension, Son scored a goal and instead of celebrating he put both his hands up as an apologetic gesture followed by a prayer gesture and then made a clear message to André Gomez.
In 9th Place: Figure Skater Holds Up Competitors Flag
Something very unusual happened in Ontario, Canada in Sep 2019 at the International FIGURE Skating Autumn Classic International. During the Japanese victory anthem, the Canadian competitor, Keegan Messing, noticed that there was no Japanese flag being displayed for the Japanese gold medal winner, Yuzuru Hanyu. So he, the Canadian unfurled the Japanese flag that was behind the podium. He held it open during the Japanese anthem. Meanwhile, the Japanese skater stepped down off the podium, turned and faced the Japanese flag (being held open by the Canadian) during the anthem. Immediately after the anthem, the young Japanese expressed his gratitude by bowing to the young Canadian while the crowd cheered.
In 8th Place: Tennis: 15 Year Old American Tennis Sensation Coco Gauff Thanks Her Heroine
Little Coco Gauff sensationally beat Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon in July. After the match little Coco Gauff said “obviously I’m super shocked, I literally got my dream draw…(to play against Venus Williams) .” And then she mentioned that after the match Venus Williams congratulated her. And then little Coco Gauff thanked Venus by saying: ‘thank you for everything you did, I wouldn’t be here without you.’ She then turned to the BBC camera and said “I always wanted to tell her that!”
In 7th Place: QPR Gift Naming Right to Kiyan Prince Foundation
This is an act of great sportsmanship or kindness or conscientiousness……… by a whole club…. On the 7 June 2019 London’s famous football club, Queen’s Park Rangers, renamed their stadium the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium after one of its academy players, 15 year old, Kiyan Prince, was stabbed to death fourteen years ago outside his school (trying to stop a fight). Kiyan’s father, Mark Prince, a former WBO Light Heavyweight boxing champion (1997/98), set up the Kiyan Prince Foundation to educate youths about knife crime, youth violence and life in general. Mark received an OBE as he has influenced over 100,000 youths. It is indeed, an extraordinary commitment by QPR to gift the stadium’s naming rights to a charity (and forfeit significant revenues) to simultaneously help raise the charity’s profile by renaming the famous Loftus Road stadium as the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.
In 6th Place Romanian Olympic Diver Dives Onto Mattresses
I was in Romania this year and discovered the challenges Romanians sports face. Once upon a time they were amongst the best in the world – Rugby, football (Hagi) & Gymnastics (Nadia Comaneci) – for some reason interest has dropped & facilities aren’t as good. e.g. some Olympic divers have no pools with water! So they dive onto mattresses. Meet Constantin Popovici a Romanian Olympic Diver (2008) who in 2011 he gave up competitive sport for 7 years, he appeared in water jumping shows on cruise ships, Cirque du Soleil, amusement parks & Red Bull Cliff Diving – he’s back and trying to compete in the 2020 Olympics.
Training can be difficult. Constantin Popovici says: “Normally you must have the medical room near the pool. Do the heating for an hour, go to the pool and continue the water training. You have a trampoline, sponges, nets, mattresses where you roll, sit on your hands, strength, all kinds of exercises you need before entering the water. We do all this, except the water is missing.” He has now found a swimming pool with water (suitable for diving) & travels over 300km to practice. Popovici and all these divers demonstrate fantastic dedication, persistence & determination. Watch out for Constantin Popovici in the 2020 Olympics.
The BBC Radio London Interview covering all of the Top 10 Moments of Sportsmanship will be added in the next few days.
Part 2 (includes the 5th best Sportsmanship Moment through to the number 1 sportsmanship moment of 2019).
You can also listen to all of the Top 10 stories on BBC Radio London’s annual interview with PR Smith, hosted by Phil Parry.
If you like this you might also like:
‘No Human Is Limited’ says the Man Who Broke the 2 Hour Marathon Barrier
We Can Achieve All Our Dreams – even a hungry 16 year old’s RWC 2019
Part 2 has the 5th best moment to ‘The’ best sportsmanship moment of 2019
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Incredible bit of quick thinking from the Canadian figure skater. A fantastic show of kindness and respect. Thanks for sharing this Paul.
I agree Ciaran. He was on the ball despite forfeting the pleasure of relaxing and enjoying /soaking up the winning podium experience – he took action.