Jamaican hurdler saved by Japanese Serbian woman from missing Olympic race, wins gold medal

August 13, 2021

A Japanese Serbian woman, who helped a Jamaican Olympic hurdler get a taxi after he was at risk of missing his race, is being rewarded with a free trip to Jamaica.

The good deed: Hansle Parchment, 31, posted an Instagram video on Aug. 7 thanking Olympic volunteer Trijana Stojkovic for helping him make the finals.

Parchment had taken the wrong bus and ended up at the aquatics and rowing venue. He was told that he had to take the bus back to the Olympic Village and get on the correct one, which would leave him no time to even warm up for his competition.
Although he was aware that the volunteers were not allowed to help much, he saw Stojkovic and begged her to help.
Stojkovic gave him money to take a taxi and Parchment was able to make it to the stadium with enough time to warm up, according to NPR.

The reward: After winning the gold medal for the men’s 110-meter (361 feet) hurdle, he showed her his medal, gifted her a yellow Jamaican Olympic polo shirt and returned the cash she had given him, according to The Washington Post.

Parchment told Stojkovic that she was “instrumental” in him getting to the finals that day.
In addition to Parchment’s gratitude, Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett is offering her a free trip to the island, according to Sky News.

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“It is selfless what she did. One would not know what the outcome would have been,” stated Bartlett. “No matter where in the world she is, we want to reciprocate the kindness shown to one of our own.”
Stojkovic also posted a photo of herself wearing the shirt and wrote that she was “full of gratitude.”

Featured Image via d_treefairy (left) and Dalton Potcova Spence (right)

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