A Kenyan man who breezed past exhausted competitors to a second-place
marathon finish was arrested by police after they realized he had simply
hidden in the crowd and only joined in the final stretch of of the
26-mile race.
The man, identified as 28-year-old Julius Njogu, will face fraud charges
for cheating his way into second place at Kenya’s Nairobi International
Marathon.
Njogu claimed second place in a sprint finish after passing other
runners in the final stretch at Nyayo National Stadium. He was in line
to claim around $7,000 in prize money before being caught out and
disqualified.
Officials said they became suspicious because Njogu showed no signs of
fatigue and was not sweating when he had supposedly just run 42 kilometers (26 miles).
They discovered that he’d run barely one kilometre after emerging from a bunch of onlookers and joining the leading group of runners just outside the stadium.
Through the final few meters, Njogu jogged easily past a weary-looking
Shadrack Kiptoo to cross second. Joshua Kipkorir won the men’s race in
two hours, 13 minutes and 25 seconds.
Njogu then argued with race officials, even removing his running shoes
in an apparent attempt to show organizers blisters on his feet to prove
he’d run the entire course.
“I followed the leading team from start to finish and I didn’t see him,”
said race director Ibrahim Hussein. “He will not be recognized and I’m
so disappointed that one can cheat in this modern age. He didn’t finish
second.”
They discovered that he’d run barely one kilometre after emerging from a bunch of onlookers and joining the leading group of runners just outside the stadium.
Through the final few meters, Njogu jogged easily past a weary-looking
Shadrack Kiptoo to cross second. Joshua Kipkorir won the men’s race in
two hours, 13 minutes and 25 seconds. 
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