In less than one minute’s time, Manteo Mitchell became the symbol of Team USA’s 29-medal effort in London and a story that will be told surrounding the Olympic Games for years to come. Just past the 200-meter
mark of his qualifying leg on Team USA’s 4x400m relay, Mitchell broke his leg. While most would have hit the track in agony, Mitchell didn’t think twice about finishing the race and helping his team advance to the final where they would eventually collect a silver medal. Despite the broken leg, the time run by Team USA of 2:58.87 was the fastest time ever run in the first round of the relay at the Olympic Games. Later Mitchell would say, “I didn’t want to let those three guys down or the team down so I just ran on it. It hurt so bad… It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half.”