Teenage Runner Breaks Leg But Still Finishes Marathon Relay

Marathons - why would you do one? They're long, they're dull, and no one wants to be that guy who bangs on about that time they did one in less than three hours, despite not doing any training.*

And not only are marathons really hard, they're actually very dangerous, as one teenage runner discovered when she had to crawl to the finish line during a race in Japan.

Rei Iida was competing for the Iwatani Sangyo corporate 'ekiden' relay marathon team when she tripped and fell towards the end of her 2.2-mile stretch of the 26-mile race, breaking her leg.

But determined to finish, the university student crawled 700 yards on her hands and knees - leaving a bloody trail in her wake - to the end of the stage so she could pass her sash onto her teammate to carry on the race.

See how dangerous it is? She wasn't even doing the full race and she broke a limb.

The 19-year-old's bravery didn't go unnoticed though and since the emotional footage was shown on Japanese television, Rei has received a wave of support.

One spectator told the Asahi newspaper: "She has a strong sense of responsibility. I admire her and want to applaud her."

Tetsuhiko Kin, a sports commentator has raced in the 'ekiden' before and said runners are under enormous mental pressure not to fail.

He said: "She seemed driven to somehow arrive at the relay point, which she could see [when she fell]."

The clip has also been shared on social media, with many praising Rei's guts.

One user wrote: "NEVER underestimate the heart of a true champion."

Another added: "What an amazing athlete and such determination not to let her team down really went above and beyond."

Immediately after hearing she had fallen and been injured, Rei's manager pulled the team out of the competition.

Weibo

But officials weren't able to contact the event's head judge straight away and by the time organisers had been told about the decision to pull the team, Rei was almost finished.

The head judge said: "I struggled to decide whether I should stop her, but I felt she could do it as she was almost at her goal."

The brave runner is reported to have ignored calls for her to stop, just asking the judge: "How many metres are left until my goal?"

Rei was taken to a hospital immediately after completing her section of the race and was diagnosed with a fracture of her leg that is expected to take four months to heal.

According to reports she even apologised to the team manager for her performance.

*I have definitely never been that guy.

Topics: SPORT, World News, Interesting

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom