Drama was witnessed at the closing stages of the 2022 Taipei City Marathon on Sunday, December 18, as a local man stole the show at the expense of a runner who broke an 11-year-old course record.
Ethiopian marathoner Alemtsehay Asefa ran a calculated race to win the women's title in 2:25:55, and in the process, broke the course record of 2:27.36 set by Kenyan athlete Hellen Kiprop in 2011.
However, despite all the sacrifices, a local resident got all the attention when he destroyed the tape before Asefa crossed the finish line.
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The unnamed middle-aged man ran side by side with Asefa, but within a few metres remaining to the end of the race, he sprinted and broke the tape preserved for female competitors.
Asefa crossed the finish line a few seconds later as the cameramen were filming the local man.
It is not common for organizers to tolerate such kind of behaviour, particularly in major road races.
Lilian Jelagat clocked 2.30:13 to settle for a second-place finish, more than 4 minutes behind Asefa.
The third-place position went to Mongolia's representative, Khishigsaikhan Galbadrakh, who timed 2:30.13.
Naomy Chepkorir Tuei, another Kenyan athlete who graced the race, settled for a fourth-place position ahead of Sweden’s Hanna Kristina Lindholm.
Kenyans excelled in the men’s category as Lani Ruto, and Thomas Kibet took the top owners.
Ruto crossed the finishing line in 2:09.42 ahead of Kibet, who clocked 2.10:59.
Ethiopia’s Aragaw Yitbarek Meseret reached the tape at 2:11.34 to register a third-place finish.
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