US Runner Manteo Mitchell Runs 4X400 Relay With A Broken Left Leg

In one of the craziest stories to come out of the history of athletic competition, American 4x400 relay runner Manteo Mitchell ran the last 200 meters of the lead off leg with a broken left fibula. Most of us cannot manage to get ourselves out of bed, much less compete on an Olympic level and complete a 400 yard dash in 45 seconds.

Commenting on his heroic effort, Mitchell stated, "I got out pretty slow, but I picked it up and when I got to the 100-meter mark it felt weird. As soon as I took the first step past the 200-meter mark, I felt it break. I heard it. I even put out a little war cry, but the crowd was so loud you couldn't hear it. I wanted to just lie down. It felt like somebody literally just snapped my leg in half."

For anybody who has every broken a bone, imagine the mind numbing agony this man must have been in over the course of that race. One can imagine that these athletes are used to muscles cramps and fatigue, but this man had a broken leg. Absolutely crazy.

Also, in an explanation of what he thinks happened to his leg, Mitchell stated, "Three days ago I was going up the stairs and I kind of missed one and landed awkwardly, I got treatment and I was fine. I did workouts, and when I warmed up today I felt really well."