Marathon Surprise: African Runners Help Chinese Athlete to Victory
An unexpected event unfolded during a half marathon in Beijing. In a dramatic finish, four competitors were vying for the win. Surprisingly, three of them had no interest in claiming the victory for themselves. Instead, African runners decided to support He Jie, a Chinese athlete, to help him cross the finish line first. The incident has sparked an investigation by the relevant authorities, with Willy Mnangat coming forward to shed light on the situation.
6:56 PM EDT, April 16, 2024
The marathon, which took place on Sunday, April 15th, has been the center of much controversy due to its unusual conclusion. A video that went viral on social media shows the moment when three competitors consciously chose not to finish ahead of He Jie.
The footage reveals Kenyan runners Willy Mnangat and Robert Keter, along with Ethiopian Dejene Hailu, acting more as supporters than competitors to He Jie. They are seen urging him to accelerate and overtake them, a gesture that captivated spectators and viewers alike.
In an extraordinary turn of events, He Jie emerged victorious, finishing the race in 1:03:44. Mnangat and Keter joined him on the podium, with Hailu trailing closely behind.
The British newspaper Daily Mail has reported that the Beijing Sports Bureau is now investigating the race's conclusion for potential manipulation of results.
To clarify matters, Mnangat shared his side of the story. He revealed that his presence in China was not to compete but rather to assist He Jie in attempting to break the national record.
"I don't know why they wrote my name on the bib number. I didn't come here to compete. My role was to set the pace and help the guy (He Jie) win, but unfortunately, he did not manage to break the national record," explained the Kenyan.
