Underdogs Take the Spotlight: ‘Final Finishers’ Flips the Script on Sports Docs
Netflix's groundbreaking docuseries Drive to Survive didn’t just hook a new generation on Formula One—it also sparked a massive wave of sports documentaries across nearly every streaming platform. From the brutal climbs of the Tour de France to tennis grand slams and Olympic sprints, the formula has become predictable: follow elite athletes chasing greatness behind the scenes.
But for Michael Ring, that narrative is getting stale. “It’s just another guy who found his talent in middle school, skipped out on a normal life, and turned into a millionaire athlete,” scoffs Ring, 61, one of the amateur runners featured in Final Finishers—a powerful short film that shifts the spotlight to the back of the pack in the New York City Marathon.
While the champions have long since crossed the finish line, the real grit begins when the sun sets over Central Park, the crowds vanish, and glow sticks light the way for runners still pushing through the last exhausting miles. Final Finishers captures this often overlooked struggle, highlighting the incredible spirit of those who run not for glory—but to finish.
Rather than worship the winners, the film uplifts the everyday warriors—runners for whom completing 26.2 miles isn’t about when, but if they’ll make it. Their stories, often left in the shadows, are just as—if not more—extraordinary than those of podium finishers.
At the film’s Tribeca Festival premiere in June, even Olympic legends like Meb Keflezighi, Conner Mantz, Clayton Young, and Beverly Ramos were in attendance. Keflezighi, the 2009 NYC and 2014 Boston Marathon winner, praised the film’s heart: “Reaching that finish line—no matter how long it takes—is life-changing. Everyone out there has a story worth telling.”
Michael Ring’s story is one of true resilience. Diagnosed in 2014 with a rare autoimmune condition, he was suddenly paralyzed. But over months of painful progress—from wheelchair, to crutches, to walking with a cane—Ring slowly reclaimed his stride. With ankle braces and unmatched determination, he completed the 2017 NYC Marathon in under 10 hours—the first of many post-recovery finishes.
Big races like London’s marathon are now recognizing these back-of-the-pack heroes. With tailwalkers following the last starters and finish lines staying open till midnight, the message is clear: every finisher matters.
Yet, in mainstream marathon coverage, the spotlight still clings to the front runners. That’s exactly what Final Finishers challenges, betting that authentic, relatable stories can strike a deeper chord with audiences.
“These runners are the ones so many people can connect with,” says Rob Simmelkjaer, CEO of New York Road Runners, the organization behind the NYC Marathon. “Watching someone run a marathon in two hours? That’s impressive—but it doesn’t make most of us think we can do it. These stories do.”
Distribution plans for Final Finishers are still under wraps, but New York Road Runners is already looking ahead. They’ve launched East 89th St Productions, aiming to create more films—and possibly a docuseries—with everyday athletes front and center.
Will streamers bite? That’s unclear. The tide of elite-athlete docs seems to be receding. Netflix’s Tour de France: Unchained is wrapping up. Six Nations: Full Contact and Apple’s Make or Break have both been canceled. The age of glorifying the ultra-professional may be losing steam.
Still, some producers are scratching their heads. “They ask, ‘Where are the stars? Are you getting Eliud Kipchoge?’” laughs Simmelkjaer. “But we don’t believe that it always has to be about the stars.”
That’s a view Martinus Evans, founder of the Slow AF Run Club, shares. “Honestly, people are getting bored of watching elite runners,” says Evans. “They’ve trained their whole lives to win—we expect them to be good. But that’s not who most of us are.”
Evans knows this firsthand. At 38, a doctor mocked him for wanting to run a marathon, telling him to lose weight instead. “I didn’t punch the doctor, though I wanted to,” he says in the film. “I bought running shoes that same day.” What followed was a long, emotional journey that ended—many times—at the finish line. “And I cried like a freaking baby every time.”
“What people really want,” Evans adds, “is to see the underdog win. Someone like me—who no one expected to even start a marathon—finishing eight, and now training for my ninth.”
Description:
"Final Finishers is a heartwarming documentary that shifts the spotlight from elite marathoners to the inspiring underdogs at the back of the pack in the New York City Marathon. This film celebrates real stories of determination, perseverance, and the triumph of finishing against the odds."