Meb Keflezighi didn’t have the Olympic marathon he dreamed of, but the 41-year-old might have exited the games in the most memorable way possible. Keflezighi slipped on the wet Rio street right before the finish line, much to the shock of commentators and onlookers.
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It was a violent looking fall, and people were wondering if he was okay. After a few seconds he made sure there was no doubt. Flashing his trademark smile, Keflezighi straddled the finish line and did pushups, as if his fall was intentional all along.
Glancing behind him, the marathon runner realized the field was closing quickly. After a few reps he jumped up, walked across the line and finished in 33rd place. It was a disappointing end for the 2004 Olympic silver medalist, but there was nothing to be ashamed of. While he didn’t reach the podium in his third Olympics, Keflezighi still beat out a lot of runners, many of whom were a decade his junior.
Here's some of what Keflezighi had to say after he finished.