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Tuesday, September 19
Woman gives up chance at medal for friend
Associated Press
One would think they were sisters joined at the hip.
Kay Poe and Esther Kim walked through the crowd holding hands
and giggling as they stopped to talk with friends coaching and
competing in the Taekwondo tournament in San Antonio in July. Each
flashed big smiles as they posed for photos for fans.
Their story and friendship are an example of true sportsmanship.
Poe, ranked No. 1 in the world in the flyweight class,
dislocated her left kneecap during a match in the Taekwondo Olympic
trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., in May. She was scheduled to
fight her best friend Kim, with the winner earning a spot on the
Olympic Taekwondo team and a trip to Sydney.
Kim, however, forfeited her match so her friend would have the
chance to win gold in Sydney.
"I just started crying, because this was her chance just as
much as it was mine," Poe said. "Really, it was the most
heartfelt moment of my life. I don't think it matters who won.
We're both winners."
Kim said she made the decision without hesitation.
"It kind of came up in a heartbeat," she said. "It was an
unfair situation to fight your best friend who can't even stand up.
I felt it was the only decision to be made."
Kim said she has no regrets.
"You will have the gold medal around your neck and I feel
inside I have a gold medal in my heart," she said. "There are
other ways to be a champion. A real martial artist is a champion
everyday in life, too."
Upon hearing the story of the two women, the International
Olympic Committee rewarded Kim with an all-expenses-paid trip to
attend the games and cheer for her friend.
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