Beijing Half Marathon Results Canceled After African Runners Slow Down to Let Chinese Athlete Win

The organizing committee of the Beijing Half Marathon has canceled the results of the top four finishers after an investigation revealed that three African runners deliberately slowed down in the final 2 kilometers, allowing Chinese athlete He Jie to win the race. The incident occurred during the 2024 edition of the event, with Kenya's Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, along with Ethiopia's Dejene Hailu, being stripped of their medals as a result.

Video footage from the race showed the African runners, who were leading the pack, visibly slowing their pace and waving He Jie to the front. He, the 2023 Asian Games marathon gold medalist, went on to win the race by a single second in a time of 1:03:44. The actions of the African runners raised suspicions, prompting the organizing committee to initiate an investigation.

The probe revealed that Mnangat, Keter, and Hailu had been invited by a race sponsor to serve as pacemakers for He Jie, with the goal of helping him break the Chinese half-marathon record. However, the main organizers were unaware of this arrangement, and the African runners were not officially registered as pacemakers. "We were not there to compete but to help He Jie win," admitted Mnangat, claiming they were contracted as pacemakers, but their roles were not properly communicated to the organizers.

As a result of the findings, the organizing committee made the decision to cancel the results of the top four finishers, including He Jie's first-place finish. The runners will be required to return their trophies, medals, and prize money. The Chinese Athletics Association stated that it would take measures to strengthen the supervision and guidance of road running events to ensure their healthy development, following the significant attention and criticism the incident received on Chinese social media.

Why this matters: The controversy surrounding the Beijing Half Marathon highlights ongoing issues of cheating and poor organization in China's rapidly growing long-distance running scene. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the need for increased transparency and regulation in the sport to maintain its integrity and prevent future scandals.

The main organizer of the event, Zhong'ao Lupao Sports Management Co., has lost its right to host the Beijing Half Marathon as punishment for the incident. In a statement, the company apologized for not discovering and correcting the mistakes in time during the race. The Chinese Athletics Association has vowed to make improvements to the sport in the country, acknowledging the damage done to the reputation of Chinese marathons and the need to rebuild trust among athletes and fans alike.

Key Takeaways

• Beijing Half Marathon organizers stripped winners of medals for deliberately slowing down.
• 3 African runners were invited as pacemakers to help Chinese runner break record, but not officially registered.
• Organizers canceled results of top 4 finishers, who must return prizes, due to lack of transparency.
• Chinese Athletics Association vowed to improve supervision and guidance of road running events.
• Organizing company lost right to host Beijing Half Marathon as punishment for the incident.