Hockey Tough: French Track Runner Gets Assaulted 20 Minutes Before Race, Proceeds To Win 400m Hurdle Final Despite Coughing Up Blood And Wearing An Eyepatch
The 400 is the most brutal event in track. It's just an all out sprint for one full lap. It might not sound like much when you're just talking about it, but once you're out there? 400 meters might as well be a mile. And then imagine throwing hurdles into the mix. Not only are you sprinting a full lap but now you have these piece of shit hurdles to fly over. It's ridiculous. It's a race most people wouldn't want any part of even if they were fully rested and feeling as healthy as could be.
Then imagine you get the shit kicked out of you by some scumbag who decides to jump you 20 minutes before the race. You're coughing up blood, your eye is obviously fucked up, and now you have a 400m hurdle to run a few minutes later. You couldn't blame anyone for calling it a day and just getting out of there. But not Wilfried Happio. This man was born to be a hockey player, but turns out he's running track instead. And not only did he go out and run the event, but he won the whole damn thing. Plus he's French! Not to stereotype here or anything but I would have just assumed a French track runner would be on par with a soccer player or LeBron James in terms of toughness and grit. Never in a million years would I expect this fella to get right back out there and not miss the event. Hockey tough like you read about.
P.S. -- Speaking of the 400m hurdle, how about Sydney McLaughlin just making it look like the easiest event out there on the way to breaking the world record. A record which was previously owned by *checks notes* Sydney McLaughlin.
She has 4 out of the best 5 times ever in the event. Not bad.