Story of the state championship runner who carried his injured friend across the line

Sean Rausch displayed the true spirit of sportsmanship when he carried an injured teammate to finish line at the cross country state championship.

The incredible moment was caught on camera during the Utah state championship at Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City on October 19, 2018, reported Fox13.

Being a part of a sports team teaches people the spirit of support and camaraderie. That is exactly what Rausch, a senior Riverton High School, displayed during the race he and his teammate, Blake Lewis, had been waiting for all season.

Blake was about 400 meters from the finish line when he experienced a sharp pain in his leg. At 300 meters, he could hardly take the pain and then at 200 meters he heard his bone snap.

It was so loud that his mother, Brooke Lewis, claimed she heard it from the stands where she was cheering. She initially felt he had stepped on a branch, but, he fell to the ground, and screamed in anguish.

Blake said, “It was excruciating. It was like no other pain I’ve ever felt.” The mother had not heard such a scream from him before.

The runner had broken his tibia during the race. Doctors later confirmed that he had a cyst in his bone that burst.

Brooke had decided to hop the fence and run to her son. Suddenly, she saw his teammate run up to him.

He lifted him on his shoulders and carried him all the way to the finish line. Rausch said, “He was screaming the whole way, but I kept telling him, ‘We’re a family, we’re a team, and we’re all in this together.”

According to the rules of the state championship, a player cannot touch the other during a meet. This led to the disqualification of both the runners.

Rausch made a big sacrifice during the race as it was his senior year and his last opportunity to race at state

Blake realizes the consequences of his teammate’s actions. He believes Rausch disqualified himself for “something greater” and it made the junior’s day.

He considers Rausch his hero but the senior disagrees and said he was just Blake’s brother.

The two have run thousands of miles together at practice sessions and other sports meets. Blake knows if someone picks somebody up the way Rausch did, they certainly love them.

His mother was grateful that Rausch picked her son up and carried him all the way.

Read more on our Twitter account @amomama_usa.