When Olympic teams and global championship medals are on the line, runners will go to all lengths to get across the finish line ahead of the competition. In a photo finish, the edge always goes to the runner whose torso crosses the finish line first—that’s why you see runners lean as they cross the finish line. If finishes were judged by first arm, leg, or other body part across the finish line, we’d probably see some pretty different finishing techniques. Watch below to see four cases where runners got across the line, but their feet arrived last.
At last week’s World Junior Track & Field Championships, Ethiopia’s Genet Wale could barely stay on his feet during the 3,000-meter steeplechase. He fell twice coming off the water barrier, but his third fall of the race was well placed, as he managed to earn the bronze medal with a dramatic splat across the finish line.
At the same meet, Kumari Taki of Kenya took the 1500-meter gold with a dive and slide technique across the finish line. He barely held off Ethiopia’s Teresa Tolosa, 3:48.63 to 3:48.77. The final sprint starts about 3:05 into the video.
At the U.S. Olympic Trials in the women’s 200 meters, Jenna Prandini stumbled across the finish line but managed to hold off Allyson Felix for the third and final spot on the Olympic squad by 0.01 seconds. Her finish is the perfect demonstration of the first-torso-across-the-line rule and can be USATF to Elect New President Amid Budget Deficit.
Also at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Brenda Martinez and Amanda Eccleston both dove for the third spot on the Olympic team, with Martinez edging Eccleston out by 0.03 seconds. The fall happens about 4 minutes in. (Other Hearst Subscriptions.)
