Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was just a few feet from the finish line, but became confused with the signage and stopped, thinking he had completed the race.
A Spanish runner, Ivan Fernandez, was right behind him and, realizing what was happening, started shouting at the Kenyan to continue running. Mutai didn't know Spanish and didn't understand.
Realizing what was taking place, Fernandez pushed Mutai to victory.
A journalist asked Ivan, "Why did you do that?"
Ivan replied, "My dream is that someday we can have a kind of community life where we push and help each other to win."
The journalist insisted "But why did you let the Kenyan win?"
Ivan replied, "I didn't let him win, he was going to win. The race was his."
The journalist insisted, and again asked, "But you could have won!"
Ivan looked at him and replied, "But what would be the merit of my victory? What would be the honor in that medal? What would my Mother think of that?"
Values are passed on from generation to generation.
What values are we teaching our children?
Let us not teach our kids the wrong ways and means to WIN.
Instead, let us pass on the beauty and humanity of a helping hand. Because honesty and ethics are WINNING!
Writer's Workshop Assignment:
Take this story and write your own with the same theme. Can you think of another real-life example in your own life or from a situation you know about where someone was honest and did the right thing eventhough they could've easily gotten away with something. This story can be fiction or non-fiction, but should be inspired by The Finish Line.
*Plot Diagram (2 pts)
*Introduction and conclusion (6 pts)
*Content (10 pts)
*Grammar (5 pts)
*Keeping to the assignment (3 pts)
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