Two Runners Help Collapsed Competitor Finish Boston Marathon

Apr 24, 2026, 14:15

Introduction

On Monday, during the Boston Marathon, runner Ajay Haridasse collapsed about 305 meters from the finish line. Two other runners, Aaron Beggs from Northern Ireland and Robson De Oliveira from Brazil, stopped to help him cross the finish line. Their combined finishing time allowed all three to qualify for next year's race.

Main Body

The incident happened on the final part of the course near Boylston Street. Haridasse, who is from Massachusetts and a student at Northeastern University, had fallen several times and was preparing to crawl to the finish. Beggs, who was also feeling sick and tired, saw him collapse and made a quick decision to help. De Oliveira saw what was happening and decided to join after noticing Beggs stop. Beggs stated that his decision was instinctive, comparing it to a 'fight or flight' response. He noted that he was motivated by the supportive crowd and by thinking about members of his running club who would never have the chance to run the Boston Marathon. De Oliveira described his decision as a response to a sign from God, saying he would stop if another runner did. Both runners emphasized the cooperative spirit of marathon running, unlike the competitive nature of shorter races. Video of the assistance was widely shared online. Haridasse later contacted both Beggs and De Oliveira through social media to thank them. He acknowledged that De Oliveira had given up a chance to achieve his personal best time to help him. Beggs said he wanted to meet De Oliveira again, noting that the three people, from different countries, now share a lasting story. Their finishing time was good enough to qualify for next year's Boston Marathon. Beggs described the event as a positive story, stating that such acts of kindness are needed. He highlighted the marathon's spirit of mutual encouragement among participants. Haridasse called the race the greatest experience and confirmed he plans to run again.

Conclusion

The help that Beggs and De Oliveira gave to Haridasse shows the spirit of mutual support that is common in long-distance running events. The incident has received a lot of attention, showing that helping others can be more important than personal achievement.

Vocabulary Learning

cooperative (adj.)
Collaborative / Involving working together for mutual benefit合作的
Example:Both runners emphasized the cooperative spirit of marathon running, unlike the competitive nature of shorter races.
instinctive (adj.)
Automatic / Done without conscious thought; natural本能的
Example:Beggs stated that his decision was instinctive, comparing it to a 'fight or flight' response.
mutual (adj.)
Reciprocal / Shared by two or more people or groups相互的
Example:He highlighted the marathon's spirit of mutual encouragement among participants.
personal best (n.)
Record time / The best result a person has ever achieved in a particular activity個人最佳成績
Example:He acknowledged that De Oliveira had given up a chance to achieve his personal best time to help him.
qualified (v.)
Earned a spot / Met the requirements to enter a competition獲得資格
Example:Their combined finishing time allowed all three to qualify for next year's race.

Sentence Learning

Haridasse, who is from Massachusetts and a student at Northeastern University, had fallen several times and was preparing to crawl to the finish.
This sentence uses a non-defining relative clause ('who is from Massachusetts...') to add extra information about Haridasse without changing the main meaning. It helps organize the idea by giving background details about the subject before describing his actions.這個句子使用非限定性關係從句（'who is from Massachusetts...'）來補充關於Haridasse的額外資訊，而不改變主要意思。它通過在描述主語的行動前提供背景細節，幫助組織想法。
Video of the assistance was widely shared online.
This sentence uses the passive voice ('was widely shared') to focus on the action (the sharing) rather than who did it. It is common in formal reporting to emphasize the event itself.這個句子使用被動語態（'was widely shared'）來強調動作（分享）本身，而不是誰做的。在正式報導中常用來突出事件本身。
He noted that he was motivated by the supportive crowd and by thinking about members of his running club who would never have the chance to run the Boston Marathon.
This sentence contains a defining relative clause ('who would never have the chance...') that specifies which members of the running club he was thinking about. It helps clarify the exact reason for his motivation.這個句子包含一個限定性關係從句（'who would never have the chance...'），具體說明他想到的是跑步俱樂部中的哪些成員。它有助於澄清他動機的具體原因。
Both runners emphasized the cooperative spirit of marathon running, unlike the competitive nature of shorter races.
This sentence uses the linking word 'unlike' to show contrast between marathon running and shorter races. It helps organize the idea by comparing two different types of races.這個句子使用連接詞 'unlike' 來顯示馬拉松跑步與短距離比賽之間的對比。它通過比較兩種類型的比賽來幫助組織想法。
The help that Beggs and De Oliveira gave to Haridasse shows the spirit of mutual support that is common in long-distance running events.
This sentence uses two defining relative clauses with 'that': one to specify the help (that Beggs and De Oliveira gave) and another to specify the spirit (that is common). They help define exactly which help and which spirit are being discussed.這個句子使用了兩個帶有 'that' 的限定性關係從句：一個具體說明幫助（Beggs和De Oliveira給予的），另一個具體說明精神（在長跑活動中常見的）。它們有助於明確討論的是哪種幫助和哪種精神。