A medal found does not replace a medal lost

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BEIJING -- It was easy to imagine what an emotionally wrenching experience Wallace Spearmon had Wednesday night, even if he did not want to address it until a day later.

‘I am devastated,’’ Spearmon said in a Thursday statement. ‘I ran my heart out for my country and have a strong finish in a world-record race.’’

Spearmon, a native of Blue Island, Ill., was third across the finish line in the final of the 200 meters. He was given an American flag and embarked on a lap of honor with winner Usain Bolt of Jamaica, who broke the world record, and silver medalist Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles.

When Bolt stopped to do the shimmy, Spearmon shimmied along.

In the celebration, he did not notice the amended result come up on the video board, the one that showed Spearmon at the bottom of the finish list with a ‘DQ’ where his time of 9.95 seconds had been.

He had toured nearly the whole track before an official gave him the news. ‘Huh?’’ Spearmon mouthed. ‘Me?’’

Spearmon had been disqualified because he stepped out of the inside (left) part of his lane on the curve. By cutting inside, a runner actually shortens the distance of the race.

U.S. coaches immediately studied video to see if there would be a way to appeal the DQ. What they found did not help Spearmon -- but did help his teammates in the race.

The video review showed Martina ran out of his lane on the opposite, which constitutes impeding the runner to the right. So USA track officials, after agreeing with the Spearmon decision, filed a formal protest on Martina that was upheld by the meet jury of appeals.

That meant Shawn Crawford jumped from fourth to silver, and Walter Dix from fifth to third, giving him a second sprint bronze medal.

‘We wanted to make sure the results of the race were fair,’’ said Team USA head men’s Coach Bubba Thornton.

Crawford wanted no part of getting a medal at the expense of his friend, Spearmon. That is why he declined to celebrate with the flag that Spearmon handed him, a response that dignified both young men.

‘I just stood there like, ‘Man, what do I do?’ ‘’ Crawford said, knowing only of the Spearmon disappointment.

It mattered little that Crawford would not have had time for a victory lap before the next race began.

‘I didn’t want to take a lap anyway,’’ Crawford said. ‘That just wouldn’t look right or seem classy.

‘That was his [Spearmon’s] moment. I’m sharing his disappointment. I don’t deserve the medal. I feel like I’m going home with a medal that was given to me.’’

-- Philip Hersh

For the record: In an earlier post, a caption said that Shawn Crawford won the bronze medal; he won the silver.