– I felt energetic at the start of the race, but sometimes the result is not important enough for a friend to be left lying on the ground in the middle of the course, says Vebjørn Hovdejord to news. The 19-year-old was exactly where he wanted to be in terms of position after a round during the EC cross-country race in Turin. But, suddenly teammate Abdullahi Dahir Rabi collapsed just in front of him. Then the 19-year-old stopped his own race to help. – When I ran past, I saw that he was lying there. The first time I thought he had just fallen, so I started running past. But I saw that he was lying so strangely, so I turned around again, says Hovdejord. Kollapsa Rabi was one of the big favorites to win the junior class in this year’s championship. After about six and a half minutes it stopped. Up a small hill he lay down, while the competitors ran past. – Rabi is totally kneeling there. He is completely outside and lies down, said expert commentator Vebjørn Rodal. When the runners passed the same place a few minutes later, four people from the Red Cross could be seen standing over Rabi. Soon after, he was taken off the track, and the driller into an ambulance. The TV viewers did not get to see that teammates Hovdejord and Esten Hansen Møllerud Hauen stopped their own races to check his condition. – There was no contact to be made with the island. Rabi’s face was completely distant, so I tried to make contact with him and get him on his feet, but he couldn’t move his legs. So then it was just a matter of pulling him off the track, so he could get help, explains Hovdejord. Stivna til Hovdejord and Hauen continued their race after the break, but then Hovdejord felt it on his body. – I had to get down on my knees and lift him up. When I was about to start running again, I was stiff right away, so I spent a lap and a half trying to get rid of the acid, and then it was actually too late, says the young running talent. He ended up in 30th place, while Hauen was the best Norwegian in seventh place. Last autumn, Hovdejord was number 14 during the EC cross-country race, that time in Ireland. In 2021, he took seventh place in the 5,000 meters at the U-20 EC. OBJECTIVE: The EC in cross-country running was the big goal of the season for Hovdejord. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB – It was a very important race for you – were you ever in doubt about stopping? – Yes, I ran past, but there were a lot of thoughts going through my head. It was primarily about whether I should run further, and about how bad it was, Hovdejord answers. The running talent says that he does not regret that he had stopped when he ran on after helping Rabi. Nevertheless, Hovdejord admits that afterwards he is left with somewhat mixed feelings. – If I think about my own result, it went beyond that. But I’m glad I turned around. We were on a team, and then you have to take care of each other, concludes the 19-year-old. SUBMITTED: Abdullahi Dahir Rabi has spent several days in a hospital bed in Italy, now he has been discharged. Photo: Privat Out of the hospital Rabi does not remember that he fainted, but has learned that his teammates helped him off the track. – It is very well done by them. It means a lot to see that they prioritized me instead of the race. And not only that, but they also came fifth in the team competition. I am very proud of them, says Rabi to news. After a few days of observation at the hospital in Turin, he was discharged on Wednesday. – I feel very well, he concludes.
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Vebjørn Hovdejord sacrificed his own EC race when Abdullahi Dahir Rabi collapsed – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
