Dylan Bettencourt
Zambian teenager Muzala Samukonga won his nation’s first ever Commonwealth Games gold medal in the men’s 400m event.
However, amid the excitement of his historic achievement, the 19-year-old tripped over an advertisement board as he ran over to the sidelines to grab a Zambian flag!
He ended up leaving the stadium in a wheelchair.
However, with an excellent time of 44.66 seconds, Samukonga’s spirit was not about to be dampened, and he was soon able to dust himself off and collect his gold medal.
Pulling off a major upset took its toll on Samukonga’s body, even before he took a tumble. Crossing the finishing line showed the strain it took on his legs as he collapsed to the ground in agony.
Samukonga’s legs were clearly not in good condition as he battled to celebrate with the Zambian fans in attendance.
However his condition improved and he was able to collect his gold medal.
Samukonga, the African champion, had never before run the race in under 45 seconds before reaching the Games in England.
The youngster ran it in 44.89 seconds in the semi-final before a personal best in the final earned him and his nation a long-awaited gold medal.
Despite his blistering time in the semi-final, nobody expected Samukonga to cross the finish line first. Even with 100m to go, the Zambian was well behind – that is until he put on the afterburners and raced ahead of the pack.
The final burst of energy perhaps was too much for the youngster but it was worth it in the end as he will head home a hero.
Samukonga was visibly emotional on the podium as second-placed Englishman Matt Hudson-Smith comforted him.
Image source: @BusinessRecorder
