‘Nine Gold Medals’ by American poet David Roth: Summary & explanation

In ‘Nine Gold Medals’, written by American poet David Roth, on differently-abled sports men show empathy and real higher human values.

Nine Gold Medals: Full Poem / Text

The athletes had come from so many countries
To run for the gold and the silver and bronze
Many weeks and months in training
All building up to the games

All round the field spectators were gathered
Cheering on all the young women and men
Then the final event of the day was approaching
The last race about to begin

The loudspeakers called out the names of the runners
The one hundred metres the race to be run
And nine young athletes stood there determined
And poised for the sound of the gun

The signal was given, the pistol exploded
And so did the runners on hearing the sound
But the youngest among them stumbled and staggered
And he fell on his knees to the ground

He gave out a cry of frustration and anguish
His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt
But as sure as I’m standing here telling the story
Now it’s a strange one, but here’s what occurred

The eight other athletes stopped in their tracks
The ones who had trained for so long to compete
One by one they turned round and came back to help him
And lifted the lad to his feet

Then all nine runners joined hands and continued
The one hundred metres reduced to a walk
And the banner above that said “Special Olympics”
Could not have been nearer the mark

That’s how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still

And the banner above and nine smiling faces
Said more than these words ever will
Said more than these words ever will

Critical Appreciation of nine gold medals: Message of the poem

The ‘Nine Gold Medals’ is based on the ‘Special Olympics’ where differently-abled participants compete for the ultimate honours. When the race starts, one of the participants falls down and is in agony. The other contestants, on seeing him lying on the ground, turn back, give him a helping hand, and they all walk towards the finish line together. All the eight contestants display empathy; one look at the fallen contestant and they all could relate to his pain and knew what they had to do. Even the authorities do a commendable job by appreciating the special gesture and awarding gold medals to all the nine participants.

Petty barriers of class, race and religion divides the society and prevents it from focusing on development & progress. Discrimination, based on race, class, and religion is one of the biggest threats that mankind faces today. This incident at the ‘Special Olympics’ reminds us that not all is lost.

How does the poem nine gold medals show the value of true sportsmanship
For the participants, empathy and human values were equally important as the spirit of competition. They showed that sport is more than just ‘winning medals’; it’s about the true spirit of sportsmanship. As human beings, we all need to show more compassion and human values, even if it means taking a step backwards, at times, to tend to the less fortunate ones. A positive mind-set, and a heart filled with warmth for others will make the world a better place to live in, and provide human beings with the strength to face greater adversities.

The ‘Nine Gold Medals’ is based on the ‘Special Olympics’ where differently-abled participants compete for the ultimate honours. When the race starts, one of the participants stumbles and is in agony. Concerned, the other contestants turn back to check on him and give him a helping hand, and they all walk towards the finish line together. Just one look at the fallen contestant and the other eight contestants knew what they had to do; their benevolent act perfectly befitting the name ‘Special Olympics’.

What is the moral of the Poem Nine Gold Medals [by David Roth]?

The moral of the poem is that one must be empathetic towards the sufferings of others. The poem teaches us that human values are as important as the spirit of competition.

Is Nine Gold Medals a True Story

While this is indeed a touching poem, there are many who are curious to know if this poem by by David Roth is based on a real incident; did something like this really happen?

Well, the short answer is that it’s partly true.

An online report claims it to be partly true, says its primary point has been grossly exaggerated.

A contestant did take a tumble during a track-and-field event held in Spokane, Washington (1976), and a couple of other athletes did turn back to help the fallen one, crossing the finish line together. But it was just a couple of athletes who turned back, and not everyone in the event (the others continued to run their race).

Figures of Speech in nine gold medals

Figure of speech is a word (or phrase) used in a non-literal sense for rhetorical or vivid effect.

Figures of speech used in poem nine gold medals:

Alliteration – close repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of words.

Examples of alliteration in the poem:

“His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt”
“But the youngest among them stumbled and staggered”

Hyperbole – Exaggeration
The signal was given, the pistol exploded. And so did the runners on hearing the sound.

The figure of speech used here is Hyperbole. Runners exploding means the runners ran very fast on hearing the sound.

Questions and Answer

ICSE Class X English Literature workbook and project work on ‘Nine Gold Medals’:

Q. In the poem “Nine Gold Medals” which unique situation has been depicted in the poem?
Can you relate the experience in the poem to our real life. How?

Q. What message is conveyed in the poem?

Q. In how many ways was this Olympic special? Explain?

Q. Who won the race and how? Explain in about 50 words.

Q. Do you think the title of the poem is justified?

Q. Which is the turning point in the poem?

Q. What lesson is learnt from the poem?

Q. What event is referred to in the poem?

Q. What kind of athletes were they?

Q. Who won the race as described in the end.

Q. How did the last event turn out to be special?

Q. What human value is displayed by the action of the eight contestants?

Q. What is the theme of the poem? How is it conveyed?

External Links

Nine gold medals on wikipedia

Treasure trove a collection of poems and short answers, workbook answers for nine gold medals.
Nine gold medals workbook answers (beeta publications)

Have any questions on nine gold medals? Please feel free to ask.

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