But thoughts of winning were pushed aside by compassion when New Zealand's Nikki Hamblin tripped and fell on the track causing Abbey to collide with her.
 
As she pulled herself up, Abbey didn't just start running again, she bent down and helped Nikki to her feet, encouraging her to finish the race.
 
But then, just meters later in the race, according to the KFOR NBC report, Abbey collapsed with what was later found to be a torn ACL.
 
This time it was Nikki Hamblin who wouldn't leave her rival's side, urging her to continue the race. (Photo by Ian Walton/Getty Images/via KFOR)
 
Finally Abbey told Nikki to go on without her; the American eventually hobbling across the finish line "a full two minutes after the winner."
 
But Abbey's benevolent act of kindness made a huge impression on Nikki as she later said, "I'm so grateful for Abbey doing that for me. That girl is the Olympic spirit right there." 

Watch a video of the race, and how Abbey helped Nikki up, by clicking here.
 
Later on a tweet from Nikki, shared by Jonathan Gault, went viral on what else the New Zealand runner said about her competitor, Abbey D'Agostina:
 
"When I went down, I was like, 'What's happening, why am I on the ground?' And suddenly there's this hand on my shoulder like, 'Get up, get up, we have to finish this.' And I'm like, 'Okay, yep, yep, you're right, it's the Olympic Games, we have to finish this.' I'm so grateful for Abbey for doing that for me. I mean, that girl is the Olympic spirit right there.
 
"I finished and I had a lonely last four laps but she ran four and a half laps barely being able to run. I'm so impressed and inspired that she did that. I've never met her before. Like, I've never met this girl before. And isn't that just so amazing? That's an amazing moment. Regardless of the race and the result on the board, that's a moment that you're never, ever going to forget. The rest of [my] life, it's going to be that girl shaking my shoulder like, 'Come on, get up.' And I really hope she's okay. And I know that she's young and she's going to have so many more opportunities. And being such a good human being, she's going to go so far."

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'This Is a Historic First': Conservative Influencer Benny Johnson Says Trump Changed Charlie Kirk's Award to Include a Cross

White House Ballroom Construction: Presidents Have Made Changes for Decades

Judge Rules against Trump Admin Effort to Purge 'Woke' Books from Military Schools

Wow! Deadly Illegal Alien Truck Driver Failed CDL Test 10 Times

Trump: Tech Leaders, Mayor Persuaded Me to Hold Off Federal Force in San Francisco

FBI Director Kash Patel: We're 'On the Verge' of Exposing Antifa's Funding Network

Inflation Eases in September, Below Analysts' Expectations; But Shutdown Needs to End

Cultural Transformation Is Happening in America among the Youth

Stunning Archaeological Discovery That Offered Powerful Biblical Proof: Inside the Dead Sea Scrolls

Biblical Tax Notice: 1st-ever Assyrian Inscription Found Near Jerusalem's Temple Mount

'A Genocide Is Happening': 35 Christian Leaders Urge Trump to Declare Nigeria a CPC

Vice President Vance Meets Hostage Families, Tours the City of David

Planned Parenthood Closes 7 California Centers Due to Federal Defunding

[Watch] Sen. John Fetterman Courageously Speaks Truth during Interview, Calling Out His Own Party; What He Said...

Another Illegal Alien, Released Under Biden, Causes Deadly Crash with a Semi

US Imposes Massive Sanctions on Russia: 'Calls on Moscow to Immediately Agree to Ceasefire'

HUGE! FBI Raids NBA Gambling Ring Tied to Italian Mafia; over 30 People Arrested, Including Trail Blazers Head Coach and Miami Heat's Player

FDA Recalls More Than 6 Million Eggs Potentially Contaminated With Salmonella

[Watch] Conor McGregor Blows the Lid Off Ireland's Immigration Nightmare

Chaos Erupts in Dublin after 10-Year-Old Girl in State Care Allegedly Raped by African Migrant