A guide's error during Hangzhou Marathon causes lead runner to come second - and lose £23,000 in prize money
This is the moment a runner loses out on a win just seconds before crossing the finish line when he misunderstands staff guiding the racers and goes in the wrong direction.
The incident occurred during the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon held in China on the morning of November 3.
Near the finish line, possibly due to a language communication barrier, the leading Ethiopian runner misunderstood the guidance from on-site staff during the final sprint, resulting in him being overtaken by a Kenyan runner and missing out on winning the championship.
Video footage shows Ethiopian runner Tesfaye Deriba Ketema in the lead during the sprint, with Kenyan runner Moses Kibet close behind in second place.
However, the Ethiopian runner misinterprets the staff’s hand signals and takes the wrong route at a turn.
The Kenyan runner, following closely behind, takes advantage of this and, by quickly making the correct turn, overtakes the Ethiopian runner. In the end, the Kenyan runner won with a time of 2:07:47, while the Ethiopian runner finished in second place, six seconds behind.
Because they wound up breaking the event record, the prize money increased to £41,800 for first place and £18,600 for second.
The Ethiopian runner, who was initially expected to win, ultimately lost out on over £23,000 in prize money.
Story: NewsX