A London Marathon Runner Helped A Struggling Athlete Over The Finishing Line And Everyone Loved It

    "You've just encompassed everything that's so special about the London Marathon. We salute you."

    Ikran Dahir
    by Ikran Dahir

    BuzzFeed News Reporter

    On Sunday more than 40,000 people took part in the London Marathon, with Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge cheering the runners on.

    Luke Macgregor / PA Wire/PA Images

    Among the runners was Matthew Rees, who has been praised online for helping a fellow athlete when he saw him struggling, just metres from the finishing line.

    Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images

    Prince William and Prince Harry applauded as Rees stopped to help David Wyeth on the Mall, just outside Buckingham Palace.

    BBC Wales News @BBCWalesNews

    👏 This is incredible! Swansea Harrier Matthew Rees helps a struggling runner cross the line at the #LondonMarathon

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    Wyeth was raising money for the Isabel Hospice in memory of his late uncle.

    Beth Whalley @beth_whalley

    ALL THE ❤️❤️❤️ IN THE ACTUAL WORLD to the man who helped my superstar cousin David Wyeth #LondonMarathon… https://t.co/qTYawjtGpY

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    Rees, from Swansea, told the Press Association that he went to cheer on Wyeth, picked him up, and said, "Come on, we can do this."

    Jack Hardy / PA Wire/PA Images

    The 29-year-old said that his calf had started to cramp early on, and seeing Wyeth brought back the feelings of the whole marathon to him.

    "I saw him try to stand up again and his legs just went down again, and I thought, This is more important, getting him across the line is more important than shaving a few seconds off my time," he said.

    "This is what the marathon is about – it's about people, it's for everyone. Moments like this make it worth it. I'm just glad he's OK."

    Adrian Dennis / AFP / Getty Images

    People were moved by the selfless sporting gesture.

    Twitter: @Zoewooster
    London Marathon @LondonMarathon

    Matthew Rees, of @SwanHarrierDev, you've just encompassed everything that's so special about the #LondonMarathon. W… https://t.co/nQ43BfD9V8

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    Twitter: @LauraJChurch

    It has been called "sportsmanship at its finest".

    Twitter: @OneDayCreative

    And Rees has been hailed as a "legend".

    Twitter: @gavreynolds

    💪💪💪🏃🏃🏃

    Jack Hardy / PA Wire/PA Images