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12th Aug 2021

Jamaican gold medalist tracks down volunteer who gave him taxi money to Olympic race

Danny Jones

Without her random act of kindness, Hansle Parchment might not have made it to the race in time

Hansle Parchment, the Jamaican gold medallist who won the 110m hurdles at Tokyo 2020, has tracked down the volunteer who gave him the taxi money to make it to the stadium in time for his race.

Parchment got lost en route to the venue after taking the wrong bus, ending up at the Sea Forest Waterway aquatics centre instead. Were it not for Games volunteer Tijana Stojkovic, the athlete may very well have not made it to the track in time and his first-ever gold medal may never have been won.

The 31-year-old, who won bronze at London 2012, posted a heartwarming video to his Instagram, explaining how he was listening to music and got on a bus going in the wrong direction and how Stojkovic came to his rescue in the eleventh hour.

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CSRl4aqhYXP/?utm_source=ig_embed

As you can see in the video, not only does Parchment surprise the good Samaritan with the money she lent him but he also hands her an official Jamaica shirt as well as the gold medal itself.

The young woman is obviously happy just to see him again, let alone be repaid and gifted in such a way; the first thing she asks when Parchment appears is for a simple selfie but the Olympian does her one better.

The video ends by simply saying, “Thank you” and just a few days later, the volunteer of Serbian-Japanese descent shared her own thank you post in response, donning her lovely Jamaica shirt.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CSZIUejpeW2/

Not only did she help a bloke go and win a gold medal but she showed an example of just how easy it is to lead with kindness. Well in, Tijana!

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