I read the entire article and while I understand what you are saying I don't think Salut. and Valed. should be discarded in favor of recognizing "the rest". I do think "the rest" should also be acknowledged, because their efforts are commendable, but not at the expense of the top couple.  It's a life lesson-perhaps the last one high school teaches-that not everyone gets a trophy and that there will be a lot of times where a tenth of a percent makes the difference between winning and losing.