When U.S. men's 4×100-meter swim relay team won the gold medal at the Rio Olympics on Sunday night, swimmers Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian and Caeleb Dressel were all smiles as the National Anthem played. The fourth swimmer, 21-year-old international relay rookie Ryan Held, got caught up in the emotion of the moment and bawled his eyes out. It was genuinely sweet.
After the Anthem ended and Phelps turned to see Held crying, he brought him close to him and patted him on the head. We don't know exactly why Held, an Eagle Scout who swam the third leg in the relay, was so overcome but in an era of everything being scripted, it was a cool moment.
Here is video that will stay up until NBC orders it taken down, followed by some Getty Images photos by Clive Rose:
Being consoled by Phelps:
All smiles. From left: Nathan Adrian, Ryan Held, Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressel
