Monroe High School’s Rich Fortels caught a tough break.
At the Greater Middlesex Conference Championship meet in New Jersey, Fortels was disqualified in the 100-yard backstroke for wearing a swim cap from his club team. The cap did not give him a competitive advantage.
Fortels’ 51.52 in the event would have won by over three seconds. The time also would have been a new meet record. With his disqualification, Michael Sparks of Metuchen won with a time of 54.19.
Monroe filed an appeal on behalf of Fortels. Conference officials, however, upheld the disqualification.
When Sparks learned that the decision stood, he presented Fortels with the first place medal at Monroe High School.
“You beat me fair and square,” Spark said during the meeting, according to myCentralJersey.com. “You broke the meet record. You proved to everyone that you are the better athlete and the better swimmer. You were the clear winner. You beat me by three seconds. You deserve all the recognition. I want you to take this.”
After Fortels initially declined the medal, Spark insisted he take it. Though the disqualification still stands, Fortels agreed to accept the prize.
The two swimmers agreed to stay in touch going forward.
My daughter is friends with and on same swim team with Michael. He is a class act. Works hard and loves the sport of swimming.
Metuchen HS is not surprised by his actions and is very proud of Michael ??
What a man! We need more like him
Typical HS official BS. HS officials and administrators, in all sports, are a bunch of bureaucratic morons, who value the minutiae of their precious rules over what’s good for the athletes.
The world needs more people like Michael Spark.