Sochi Games: Canadian coach helping fallen Russian skier defines spirit of the Olympics

The spirit of the Olympics is much more than just winning medals or shattering world records. One of those moments happened in Sochi on Tuesday when Russian Anton Gafarov fell during a tricky turn in his cross-country sprint semifinal and ended with a badly-damaged ski. Though he was two minutes behind in a race that takes four minutes to complete, he was set on finishing. The ski didn't cooperate. Gafarov tumbled down a hill near the finish and his ski snapped in half.

When it looked that Gafarov will be unable to finish the race, a man came running down the side of the hill holding onto a single ski. Without saying a word, the man bent down, took off Gafarov's damaged ski and replaced it with the one he got. Gafarov finished the race and was met with a rousing ovation from the Russian crowd.

Later, the good Samaritan was revealed to be Canadian cross-country coach Justin Wadsworth. He was standing with a group of coaches when he saw Gafarov's fall and decided to help him out with a reserve ski he had been holding for his own racer.

As the Toronto Star described, Gafarov nodded at Wadsworth after he fitted the ski and then continued on his way. He was greeted by a thunderous cheer that made it seem like he'd won the race rather than finishing more than two minutes behind. Thanks to Wadsworth's good deed, a racer who officially finished 12th will be the only thing many people remember about cross country skiing at the 2014 Olympics.

Wadsworth himself didn't think much of it. Cathal Kelly of The Toronto Star asked the coach about his gesture after the race. She said Wadsworth was "surprised anyone would care."

"It was like watching an animal stuck in a trap," he told Kelly. "You can't just sit there and do nothing about it."

The world was reminded that Olympics are all about friends and fighters.