The incredible moment runner sacrifices winning to help exhausted rival cross the finish line

The world got to witness a touching display of sportsmanship at the World Athletics Championship in Doha, Qatar last weekend.

While trying to represent his country, Guinea-Bissau, "as well as possible" in the men's 5,000-meter race, Braima Suncar Dabo did just that and more as he helped Aruba's Jonathan Busby complete their heat.

In a moment that has since gone viral, Busby had 200m left to run when he was overcome with exhaustion and a suspected cramp caused his legs to give way ahead of the last lap.

Seeing he was on the verge of collapse, Dabo slowed and helped Busby round the last turn and cross the finish line as the crowd at Khalifa Stadium gave them a standing ovation.

When the pair crossed the finish line - over five minutes behind Ethiopian winner Selemon Barega - Busby fell to the ground in pain and was promptly disqualified.

After the race, Dabo told reporters that his "main objective was to represent my country as well as possible and I'm happy I could help the other guy."

"I saw he was not running in the right way, he was leaning, I realised he wasn't going to finish.

"My thoughts were to help him finish, that is the point of the race," the 26-year-old continued.

The incident was reminiscent of New Zealand athlete Nikki Hamblin's act of sportsmanship at the 2016 Olympic Games.

Dabo held his rival until emergency personnel ran onto the track and took the 33-year-old off in a wheelchair.