Braves fan stumbles near finish line, falls inches short of beating 'The Freeze' in foot race

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In between one inning per game, the Washington Nationals have president mascots take over in a foot race, and the New York Yankees entertain fans with a virtual subway race.

Since 2017, Atlanta Braves fans attending games at Truist Park have looked forward to one lucky fan making their way onto the outfield warning track to try and beat "The Freeze."

Track and field star Durran Dunn is currently the man behind the goggles and tracksuit. Nigel Talton debuted as "The Freeze" more than six years ago. Talton is a Georgia native and was a high school and college track star.

During Thursday's game, a fan looked poised to hand "The Freeze" a rare loss, but he squandered his chances when he lost his footing at the very end of the race.

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Atlanta sensation "The Freeze" runs during the seventh-inning stretch, June 1, 2018, at SunTrust Park in Atlanta. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Fans who step up to the plate to compete against "The Freeze" are customarily given a generous head start – usually around five seconds. 

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But fans tumbling to defeat has become somewhat of a normal occurrence as they start to sense "The Freeze" quickly cutting into their lead.

The jumbotron put the fan's disappointment on full display for the home crowd. And MLB's replay even showed the heartbreaking defeat in slow motion – from multiple angles.

The Braves went on to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday for their Major League-leading 62nd win of the season.

"The Freeze" beats a contestant in a race during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Minnesota Twins at Truist Park on June 27, 2023, in Atlanta. (Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves/Getty Images)

Dunn was a star athlete at Southern Mississippi where he competed in track and field. He always played defensive back for the Golden Eagles during his senior year.

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"The Freeze" is not undefeated, but losses are rare. The races have also attracted fellow athletes to see if they make it to the finish line first. Former NFL star wide receiver Chad Ochocinco Johnson challenged "The Freeze" in 2021, with the race ending in a photo finish.