Runner Misses Out On Medal Due to Premature Celebration [VIDEO]

ABC's Wide World of Sports promised to show us the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Well, defeat doesn't get much more agonizing than this.

American Molly Huddle was cruising toward a bronze medal this week in the 10,000 at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Just before the finish line she took her foot off the metaphorical gas. It was an opening just big enough for fellow American Emily Infeld to squeeze through. Infeld pulled ahead at the tape and Huddle was denied her first major medal:

As could be expected, Huddle was inconsolable after the race as she tried to explain what happened:

“I blew it, pretty much,” said the 30-year-old, who trains in Providence, Rhode Island, under coach Ray Treacy. “I let up, and Emily was right there with more momentum. I thought there was no one battling me down the home stretch, but she was there the whole way, and I just wish I had that one last step.”

Let's take a life lesson out of this unfortunate situation: never give up before the race is over. Also: you never know who might be right behind you.