EnglishCBSE Class 9 · Chapter 5

Nine Gold Medals Class 9: Summary, Message and Questions

Updated 15 October 2026 · Fact-checked

Nine Gold Medals by David Roth, the poem in Kaveri Unit 5, tells of a hundred-yard dash at the Special Olympics in which the smallest runner falls. The other eight turn back, lift him up, and all nine walk to the finish holding hands. Every runner gets gold: kindness and togetherness matter more than winning.

What Nine Gold Medals is about

Nine Gold Medals is a narrative poem by David Roth in Unit 5 of Kaveri, paired with the interview with Dr Deepa Malik. In eight stanzas a storyteller describes a race at an athletics meet: athletes who have trained for months, excited spectators, nine runners at the start of the hundred-yard dash. When the gun fires, the smallest runner stumbles and falls. Instead of racing on, the other eight stop, go back, help him up, and all nine join hands and walk to the finish under a banner that reads 'Special Olympics'. The race ends with nine gold medals, a standing ovation and 'nine beaming faces'.

The textbook asks students to identify the gist of each stanza, alliteration, visual and auditory imagery, the change in tone and the message. In the R1 paper, a poetry extract (Q11, 5 marks), a 2-mark short answer (40-50 words) or a 5-mark long answer (120-150 words) may come from it, often linked with empathy, inclusion and the Paralympic interview.

Weightage: Class 9 English is a school examination of 80 marks, but CBSE prescribes the paper design. Section C (Literature, 30 marks) in R1: one prose/drama extract and one poetry extract (5 marks each), five of six short answers (40-50 words, 2 marks each) and two long answers (about 120-150 words, 5 marks each). R2 has three extracts, five of seven short answers and one long answer.Source: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27, Question Paper Design R1 and R2

Nine Gold Medals: explanation

In our own words, in the order of the text. Read the NCERT text itself too: the board quotes from it.

Stanza 1: the athletes. Athletes from all over the country have come to compete for gold, silver and bronze. Weeks and months of training all come down to these games.

Stanza 2: the crowd. Spectators gather around the old field to cheer the young men and women. The final event of the day is near, and excitement is high.

Stanza 3: the start line. Starting blocks are lined up for the hundred-yard dash. Nine 'resolved' (determined) athletes wait, poised for the sound of the gun.

Stanza 4: the fall. The pistol fires and the runners charge ahead, but the smallest runner stumbles, staggers and falls on the asphalt.

Stanza 5: frustration, then a surprise. He cries out in frustration and anguish; his dreams and efforts seem 'dashed in the dirt'. The storyteller says that what happened next is just as true.

Stanza 6: the turning point. The other eight runners, who had trained so long to compete, stop, turn round one by one, go back to help him and bring the boy to his feet.

Stanza 7: hand in hand. All nine join hands and continue. The hundred-yard dash becomes a walk. A banner reading 'Special Olympics' could not have been more fitting.

Stanza 8: nine gold medals. The race ends with nine gold medals. The runners cross the finish line still holding hands, to a standing ovation. The nine beaming faces say more than any words could.

Central idea: True victory lies in compassion, unity and sportsmanship, not in beating others. The athletes show that helping a fallen competitor is the greatest achievement, and everyone wins when no one is left behind.

Themes and message

Empathy and compassion

The eight runners understand the fallen boy's pain and act on it, giving up their own chance to win. The poem shows empathy (understanding his feelings) turning into compassion (helping him).

From the text: 'One by one they all turned round and went back to help him'

Redefining victory

The race was meant to produce one winner, but it ends with nine gold medals. The poem suggests that the real prize is togetherness, and that a race won by leaving someone behind is a smaller victory.

From the text: 'That's how the race ended, with nine gold medals'

Unity and inclusion

Joined hands turn rivals into a team. The banner 'Special Olympics' fits because these games are about inclusion and dignity. Everyone finishes together.

From the text: 'Then all the nine runners joined hands and continued' and 'They came to the finish line holding hands still'

Sportsmanship over competition

The runners had trained 'for so long to compete', so stopping was a real sacrifice. Their choice shows the spirit of sport at its best.

From the text: 'The ones who had trained for so long to compete'

The speaker and the people in the poem

The smallest runner

The young athlete who falls at the start of the race.

Hopeful and hardworking: had trained like the others
Vulnerable: stumbles and falls
Disappointed: cries in 'frustration and anguish'

'But the smallest among them, he stumbled and staggered'; 'His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt'.

The eight other runners

Competitors who stop to help him.

Empathetic and compassionate
Selfless: give up their chance of winning
United: join hands and walk together

'And brought the young boy to his feet.'

The narrator (storyteller)

An eyewitness-style voice telling the story.

Earnest: insists the story is true
Moved and admiring: tone grows warm and celebratory

'But as sure as I'm standing here telling this story'.

The spectators

The crowd who cheer and then give a standing ovation.

Excited at first, then deeply moved

'And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces'.

Poetic devices

Device	Example	Effect
Narrative (ballad-like) structure	Eight numbered stanzas telling a story with a twist	Builds suspense from preparation to fall to surprise to celebration.
Alliteration	'dreams... dashed in the dirt'; 'stumbled and staggered'	Hard repeated sounds stress the boy's fall and disappointment.
Visual imagery	'The blocks were all lined up'; 'fell to the asphalt'; 'nine beaming faces'	Lets readers see the race unfold.
Auditory imagery	'the pistol exploded'; 'a cry of frustration and anguish'; 'a standing ovation'	Brings the sounds of the race and the crowd alive.
Pun / wordplay	'the pistol exploded / And so did the runners'	The runners burst forward like the gunshot, showing speed and energy.
Symbolism	Joined hands; the dash 'reduced to a walk'	Hands = unity; the slower pace = choosing togetherness over speed.
Rhyme and half-rhyme	ahead/instead, compete/feet, still/will	The second and fourth lines of several stanzas rhyme or nearly rhyme, giving a song-like, storytelling rhythm.

Key quotations

Short lines worth knowing by heart: who says them, when, and why they matter.

Many weeks and months of training
Narrator: Stanza 1.
Shows how much the race mattered to the athletes.
His dreams and his efforts dashed in the dirt
Narrator: Stanza 5, after the fall.
Captures the boy's despair; alliteration stresses the loss.
The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
Narrator: Stanza 6.
The turning point: they stop running.
The hundred-yard dash now reduced to a walk
Narrator: Stanza 7.
Symbolises choosing unity over speed.
Said more than these words ever will.
Narrator: Last line.
The joy of the moment is beyond words.

Nine Gold Medals in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Helping a fallen competitor

Suppose during your school's inter-house relay, a runner from a rival house trips right in front of you.

What would the poem encourage you to do, and why? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Eight runners stopped to help.
Compassion over winning.
Respect earned is lasting.

Answer: The poem would encourage me to stop and help, like the eight runners who 'went back to help him'. Winning one relay matters less than kindness. The respect and friendship gained would last longer than any trophy.

Memory hook: Lift the fallen; that is the real finish line.

No one left behind

Imagine your class trek group is moving fast, and one classmate with asthma keeps falling behind.

Apply the 'dash reduced to a walk' idea. Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Slow to the pace of the slowest.
Hold hands/stay together.
Everyone reaches the top.

Answer: Like the runners whose dash became a walk, our group should slow to our classmate's pace and walk together. Reaching the top together would be a bigger achievement than reaching first while leaving a friend behind.

Memory hook: Go as fast as the slowest friend.

Empathy versus sympathy

Suppose a friend is upset after failing a test, and you only say, 'Oh, poor you.'

How would the poem's runners respond differently? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Sympathy: feeling sorry.
Empathy: understanding; compassion: helping.
Runners acted, not just felt.

Answer: Saying 'poor you' is only sympathy. The runners showed empathy and compassion: they understood the boy's pain and acted by lifting him up. I should sit with my friend, understand what went wrong and offer to study together.

Memory hook: Don't just feel for them; walk with them.

Topics in this chapter

Nine Gold Medals: The Race, the Fall and the Meaning of Victory

How the school exam asks Nine Gold Medals

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Question type	How it is asked	Method
Poetry extract (Q11 in R1, 5 marks)	Stanza 6 or 8 with parts: meaning of 'pulled up on their heels' (stopped running); a common trait of the eight runners; tone; how the boy felt; whether this is the turning point; why all got gold; what holding hands signifies; what a standing ovation shows; the last line.	Answer briefly with words from the stanza; for feelings, name the emotion (grateful, overjoyed).
Short answer (Q12, 2 marks, 40-50 words)	The setting of the first two stanzas; how the fallen athlete felt; what the dash-to-walk change symbolises; the poet's purpose.	Give the point, a phrase from the poem, and its effect.
Long answer (Q13/Q14, 5 marks, 120-150 words)	The message of the poem; how it would differ if it focused on individual achievement; compare with Dr Malik's interview on inclusion.	Narrative summary in two lines, then theme, symbols and tone shift, then link and judgement.
Appreciation items	Alliteration, visual and auditory imagery, tone change, mood, message, gist of each stanza.	Tone: excited and tense, then sad, then warm and celebratory. Mood: uplifting.
Writing task linked to the unit	Slogans (8-10 words) and a poster on the Special Olympics.	Brief, catchy, on-theme slogans; poster with all vital information in a box.

Tricks to remember Nine Gold Medals

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

Eight stanzas in eight words
Train, Crowd, Ready, Fall, Cry, Return, Walk, Gold.
Use it when: Gist-of-stanza ordering.
Tone curve
Excited → tense → sad → warm → joyful.
Use it when: Questions on tone change.
Three Cs of the poem
Compassion (help), Companionship (hands), Celebration (ovation).
Use it when: Theme answers.

Nine Gold Medals: extract-based questions

Read the extract, answer every part on paper, then open the answers.

Extract 1: The turning back

The eight other runners pulled up on their heels
The ones who had trained for so long to compete
One by one they all turned round and went back to help him
And brought the young boy to his feet.

(1) · 1 mark · MCQ
'pulled up on their heels' means the runners:
(a) moved aside
(b) stopped running
(c) tried to run faster
(d) jumped ahead
(2) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Mention one trait common to the eight runners.
(3) · 1 mark · Short answer
Why is the line 'The ones who had trained for so long to compete' important here?
(4) · 1 mark · MCQ
The young athlete probably felt:
(a) angry
(b) grateful and relieved
(c) jealous
(d) bored
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
Is this stanza the turning point of the poem? Give a reason.

Show the answersAnswers

(b) stopped running
Compassion (also selflessness or empathy).
It shows how big their sacrifice was: they gave up a chance they had worked hard for.
(b) grateful and relieved
Yes; the race changes from competition to compassion here.

Extract 2: Nine gold medals

That’s how the race ended, with nine gold medals
They came to the finish line holding hands still
And a standing ovation and nine beaming faces
Said more than these words ever will.

(1) · 1 mark · Very short answer
How did the nine contestants feel at the finish line?
(2) · 1 mark · MCQ
Holding hands signifies a feeling of:
(a) fear
(b) unity
(c) rivalry
(d) tiredness
(3) · 1 mark · MCQ
A 'standing ovation' shows the spectators were:
(a) amazed
(b) speechless
(c) distracted
(d) thoughtful
(4) · 1 mark · Very short answer
Identify an adjective-noun collocation in the extract.
(5) · 1 mark · Short answer
Explain the last line.

Show the answersAnswers

Joyful and proud ('beaming faces').
(b) unity
(a) amazed
'standing ovation' (also 'beaming faces').
The applause and the happy faces expressed the moment's meaning better than any words could.

Nine Gold Medals: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Example 1: Why nine golds? · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

Why do you think all nine contestants were given gold medals? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

They finished together, hand in hand.
Compassion and unity were the real victory.
Fits the Special Olympics spirit.

Answer: All nine crossed the finish line together, holding hands, so no one came first or last. Their compassion in helping the fallen boy was seen as the true victory. Giving everyone gold honoured the spirit of the Special Olympics: inclusion over competition.

Example 2: The fall · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

How might the youngest athlete have felt when he fell? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Pain and shock.
Frustration and anguish.
Months of training wasted; dreams 'dashed in the dirt'.

Answer: He would have felt pain, shock and deep disappointment. He cried out in 'frustration and anguish' because his months of training and his dream of a medal seemed to be 'dashed in the dirt' in a single moment, while everyone else ran ahead.

Example 3: From dash to walk · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

What does the transformation of the hundred-yard dash into a walk symbolise? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Dash = speed, competition, individual glory.
Walk = moving together at the pace of the weakest.
Values over victory.

Answer: A dash stands for speed and individual competition; a walk means moving together at the pace of the slowest. The change symbolises the runners' choice to put compassion and unity above winning, so that no one is left behind.

Example 4: The poem's message · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

What message does David Roth convey through Nine Gold Medals? Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Setting: training, crowd, excitement.
Fall: smallest runner's despair.
Turning point: eight turn back.
Hand in hand; dash to walk; banner.
Nine golds: victory redefined; conclusion.

Answer: Nine Gold Medals teaches that kindness is the greatest victory. The poem begins with athletes who have trained for 'weeks and months' and a crowd eager for the final race, so winning clearly matters. When the smallest runner falls and cries in 'frustration and anguish', the race could have gone on without him. Instead, the eight others 'pulled up on their heels' and went back to lift him. All nine join hands, and the hundred-yard dash becomes a walk. The banner 'Special Olympics' fits perfectly, because these games celebrate inclusion. The race ends with nine gold medals and a standing ovation. Roth shows that when we help those who fall, everyone wins. Competition has its place, but compassion and unity are what make sport, and life, truly meaningful.

Example 5: If only one had won · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

How might the poem be different if it focused only on individual achievement rather than collective support? Answer in about 120-150 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

One winner, one gold; fallen boy forgotten.
Tone would stay competitive; no turning point.
Images: medal on one neck vs. joined hands.
Message: speed vs. compassion.
Judgement: less moving, less meaningful.

Answer: If the poem focused only on individual achievement, the story would end very differently. The fastest runner would cross the line first and take the only gold, while the smallest boy stayed on the asphalt, his dreams 'dashed in the dirt'. There would be no turning point, no joined hands and no walk to the finish. The tone would remain tense and competitive, and the spectators might cheer one person instead of giving a standing ovation to all. The final image would be a single medal, not 'nine beaming faces'. Such a poem might be exciting, but it would only celebrate speed. By choosing collective support, Roth gives the poem its heart: it moves readers because it shows that people can rise above rivalry. I think the poem is far more powerful as it is.

Example 6: Linking with Deepa Malik · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

Suppose you had to present Nine Gold Medals and Dr Malik's interview together in an assembly on inclusion. What common message would you highlight? Answer in 40-50 words.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

Both are about sport and disability/inclusion.
Malik: ability beyond disability; fair chance for all.
Poem: no one left behind.
Common: dignity and support.

Answer: Both texts show that sport is about dignity for everyone. Dr Malik says everyone should get 'a fair chance to succeed', and in the poem eight runners make sure no one is left behind. Together they teach that support and inclusion create true champions.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is marked: the value points the examiner looks for and the marks each earns.

What does the transformation of the hundred-yard dash into a walk symbolise? Answer in 40-50 words. (2 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: from individual competition and speed to togetherness; moving at the pace of the slowest; compassion over victory.	1
Expression.	1

What is the message of Nine Gold Medals? (120-150 words) (5 marks)

Step	Marks
Content: setting and stakes; the fall.	1
Content: turning point, joined hands, walk, banner.	1
Content: nine golds; message and judgement.	1
Expression.	1
Accuracy.	1

Where students lose marks in Nine Gold Medals

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

Mistake: Saying the fallen boy won
Over-simplifying.
Wrong working
The boy who fell won the gold medal.
Right working
All nine runners received gold medals.
Do this: Remember the title.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Calling it a Paralympics race
Mixing with the prose piece.
Wrong working
This happened at the Paralympics.
Right working
The banner says 'Special Olympics'.
Do this: Note the banner in stanza 7.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Misreading 'pulled up on their heels'
Unfamiliar idiom.
Wrong working
They ran faster.
Right working
They stopped running.
Do this: 'Pull up' = stop.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Retelling instead of interpreting in long answers
Narrative poem tempts summary.
Wrong working
Stanza-by-stanza retelling with no message.
Right working
Brief story, then symbols, tone and message.
Do this: Spend most words on meaning.
Usually costs: Content marks.

Practice questions on Nine Gold Medals

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level
How many runners took part in the hundred-yard dash?
(a) seven
(b) eight
(c) nine
(d) ten
Hint
Title.
Answer
(c) nine
Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Give two examples of alliteration from the poem.
Hint
Stanzas 4 and 5.
Answer
'stumbled and staggered'; 'dashed in the dirt'
Q3 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level
Describe how the first two stanzas create an atmosphere for what follows. Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Training, crowd, final event.
Answer
Value points: athletes from all over the country; months of training; spectators cheering; final event approaching; high excitement; raises stakes, so the later sacrifice is meaningful.
Model answer: The first two stanzas show athletes from all over the country after months of training, and a crowd excitedly waiting for the final event. This builds high stakes and suspense, so when the runners later stop to help, their sacrifice feels truly meaningful.
Q4 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder exam level
Give one example each of visual and auditory imagery from the poem.
Hint
Sight and sound.
Answer
Visual: 'fell to the asphalt' (or 'nine beaming faces'); auditory: 'the pistol exploded' (or 'a standing ovation').
Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
Why does the narrator say 'as sure as I'm standing here telling this story'? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
What will the listener find hard to believe?
Answer
Value points: what follows is surprising, almost unbelievable; insists it is true; eyewitness, storytelling voice; builds suspense before the turning point.
Model answer: What happens next is so surprising that listeners might doubt it, so the narrator insists it is true, like an eyewitness. The phrase also creates suspense just before the turning point, making us eager to hear what the other runners did.
Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level
What might be the poet's purpose in writing this poem? Answer in 40-50 words.
Hint
Inspire, redefine, celebrate.
Answer
Value points: to inspire empathy; to redefine winning; to celebrate the spirit of the Special Olympics; to remind readers no one should be left behind.
Model answer: The poet wants to inspire empathy and redefine winning. By celebrating the runners who stopped to help, he honours the spirit of the Special Olympics and reminds readers that lifting others up matters more than finishing first.
Q7 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
'In a competitive world, stopping to help others is a luxury we cannot afford.' Argue against this using the poem and examples from life. Answer in about 120-150 words.
Hint
What did the eight runners lose and gain?
Answer
Value points: counter the claim; the runners gave up a chance but gained respect, joy, nine golds; the crowd's ovation; real-life examples (teammates, classmates sharing notes, workplaces); long-term gains of trust and teamwork; conclusion.
Model answer: I disagree. In Nine Gold Medals, the eight runners had trained 'for so long to compete', yet they stopped to help a fallen boy. They lost a chance at a solo win but gained something greater: the crowd's standing ovation, nine beaming faces and a memory none of them will forget. Life works the same way. A student who shares notes with an absent friend loses a little time but gains trust and a stronger class. A team that helps a struggling member performs better together. Helping others builds relationships and character that last far longer than one result. Competition makes us faster, but compassion makes us better people. Helping is not a luxury; it is what makes success worth having.
Q8 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
Suppose you were one of the eight runners. Write a short diary entry (about 50 words) on how you felt that evening.
Hint
Hesitation, decision, joy.
Answer
Value points: first person; moment of hearing the fall; brief hesitation; decision to go back; feeling at the finish; reflection on what winning means.
Model answer: Today I heard a cry behind me and saw the little one on the asphalt. For a second I thought of the gold. Then I turned back. Walking to the finish hand in hand, with everyone cheering, I understood: this was the best race of my life.
Q9 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level
Writing task: Write two slogans (8-10 words each) for the Special Olympics.
Hint
Brief, catchy, on theme.
Answer
Value points: within 8-10 words; catchy; themes of inclusion, ability, unity.
Model slogans: 'Every finish line is sweeter when we cross it together.' 'Different abilities, one spirit: let's play, let's win together.'

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1.Who wrote Nine Gold Medals?Show answer
David Roth.
2.What race was being run?Show answer
The hundred-yard dash.
3.Who fell?Show answer
The smallest runner.
4.On what surface did he fall?Show answer
Asphalt.
5.What did the banner say?Show answer
Special Olympics.
6.How did the runners finish?Show answer
Holding hands, walking together.
7.What did the crowd give them?Show answer
A standing ovation.
8.How many gold medals were given?Show answer
Nine.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

Can you give the gist of each of the eight stanzas?
Can you name the turning point and explain why?
Can you give two alliterations and two images?
Can you explain the dash-to-walk symbol?
Can you trace the tone from start to end?
Can you link the poem with Dr Malik's interview?

Nine Gold Medals: frequently asked questions

Who wrote Nine Gold Medals?

David Roth. It is the poem in Unit 5 of the Class 9 English textbook Kaveri.

What happens in Nine Gold Medals?

In a hundred-yard dash, the smallest runner falls. The other eight stop, help him up, and all nine walk to the finish holding hands. All nine receive gold medals and a standing ovation.

Why did all nine runners get gold medals?

Because they finished together, hand in hand. Their compassion and unity were seen as the true victory, in the spirit of the Special Olympics.

What is the turning point of the poem?

Stanza 6, when the eight runners pull up on their heels and turn back to help the fallen boy.

What does the dash becoming a walk symbolise?

It symbolises choosing togetherness over speed and competition: no one is left behind.

How does the tone change in the poem?

It begins excited and tense, turns sad when the boy falls, and becomes warm, joyful and celebratory as the runners help him and finish together.

Based on: CBSE English Language syllabus, Class IX 2026-27 (R1 and R2); NCERT Kaveri, Textbook of English for Grade 9 (First Edition 2026), Unit 5: Nine Gold Medals