Kiwi Olympian up for international award over her heartwarming act

Nikki Hamblin's famous Olympic moment keeps on receiving.

The Kiwi middle distance runner and American Abbey D'Agostino have been nominated for a new international Laureus award although their acclaimed union in the Rio Olympics is well behind the leader in the early voting.

Hamblin and D'Agostino crashed in the 5000m heats at the Rio Olympics then helped each other to the finish line despite the American suffering a serious knee injury.

Hamblin said at the time: "You come into an Olympic Games and everyone wants to win, everyone wants to medal.

"But really as disappointing as this experience is there is so much more to this than a medal."

The famous incident is one of six nominated for the Laureus Best Sporting Moment of the Year Award, which is voted on by the public.

The early runaway leaders are the young Barcelona football team, who consoled their Japanese rivals after beating them in the final of the World Challenge.

Nominations:
Drama: Brit Alistair Brownlee helps brother Jonny over the finish line at the end of the triathlon World Series in Mexico.
Remarkable: Barcelona under-12s comfort Japanese opponents
Fair play: American Jack Sock advises opponent Lleyton Hewitt to challenge a call during the Hopman Cup in Perth.
Magical: The Iceland team, the darlings of the Euro 2016 football tournament, receive a great welcome in Reykjavik complete with Icelandic Viking war chant.
Sportsmanship: Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D'Agostino show Olympic spirit
Heartwarming: Portugal fan Matisse, aged 10, comforts sobbing Frenchman after the Euro football final.

- NZ Herald