If you ever feel like you’re failing at life, let me tell you about Ranatunge Karunananda. In 1964, this man became a national hero in Japan by being officially, objectively, and painfully the worst runner on the track.
The Setup: Tokyo, 1964
It’s the Tokyo Olympics. 70,000 people are in the stands. The event is the 10,000 meters—which is basically 25 laps of “why did I agree to this?”
Karunananda is representing Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). He’s wearing Uniform Number 67. He’s also been sick for a week and has no business being on a track, let alone an Olympic one.
The starting gun goes off. Thirty-eight elite athletes sprint away. Karunananda... does his best.
The "Wait, Why Is He Still There?" Moment
The race ends. The winners get their medals. The crowd starts packing up their snacks to beat the traffic. But then, people notice something moving on the track.
It’s Number 67.
He is an entire lap behind. He is clutching his side like he’s trying to keep his internal organs from escaping. He is in absolute agony.
The crowd’s initial reaction? Classic human jerkiness. They started booing. They jeered. "Hey buddy, the race is over! Go home! You’re embarrassing us!"
But Karunananda didn't stop. He just kept shuffling. Left foot, pain, right foot, more pain.
The Great Vibe Shift
Slowly, the stadium realized something. Nine other guys—perfectly healthy, world-class athletes—had quit because they weren't going to win. But this guy? This guy was dying in slow motion just to finish 25th out of 25.
The jeers turned into awkward silence, then a few claps, and then—BAM. 70,000 people stood up. They started screaming for him like he was prime Usain Bolt. He crossed the finish line in dead last to a standing ovation that lasted longer than the actual race.
When reporters asked him why he didn't just crawl into a hole and hide, he gave the ultimate "Dad" answer:
"I have a little daughter. One day I’ll tell her her father went to the Olympics and finished the race."
Translation: I’m not fast, but I’m not a quitter.
The 50-Year Plot Twist
Karunananda’s story became legendary in Japan. He was put into elementary school textbooks. For decades, Japanese kids were taught: "Don't be the guy who quits; be the guy in Number 67."
Fast forward to 2016. A Sri Lankan grad student named Oshadi moves to Japan. She’s struggling. The language is hard, the school is stressful, and she’s ready to pack it in and go home.
Then she finds out her grandfather was a celebrity in Japan. Specifically, he was that guy.
She watches the video of her granddad stumbling around that track while 70,000 strangers lose their minds. She remembers her family’s motto: "Finish what you started."
The Moral of the Story
Oshadi didn't quit. She stayed, learned Japanese, and became a care worker for the elderly in Japan. She’s now taking those skills back to Sri Lanka to help her own country.
So, the next time you’re "lapping" everyone else in the wrong direction:
Don't stop.
Clutch your side for dramatic effect.
Remember that finishing last with dignity is way cooler than quitting because you aren't first.
Sometimes the biggest standing ovation isn't for the guy with the gold medal—it’s for the guy who refused to get off the track.
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