Hong Kong Marathon: bibs mix-up sees mainland pair disqualified, Kipkemboi wins main event
Half-marathon winner He Yingbing and runner-up Sun Xiaoyang stripped of finishes. Bethwell Kipkemboi seals men’s full title, Mazuronak first woman
Bethwell Kipkemboi won the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon on Sunday, but his victory was overshadowed after officials disqualified three runners, including the winner of the half-marathon.
He Yingbing and his compatriot, Sun Xiaoyang, were both stripped of their places, as was an unidentified runner in the 10-kilometre race. They finished in one hour, five minutes and 36 seconds, and 1:06:11, respectively.
Officials initially said the pair had been scratched for “technical problems” and at a lunchtime briefing would only say the runners’ identity did not tally with the bibs they were wearing.
“Especially for the prizewinners, we will verify the identity after the race, and our officials found that the bib did not belong to that runner,” Dennis Ng Yu-ho, executive director of the Hong Kong Association of Athletics Affiliates, said. “So after we report to the referees as well as other key officials, the organisers confirmed that the results will be disqualified.”
However, a source told the Post that the pair, who were from mainland China, were believed to have been handed the wrong bibs by the agent who signed them up for the race.
The disqualification catapulted Hong Kong’s Vincent Lam, who was originally third in a time of 1:07:38, into top spot. With locals Wong Kwun-hang (1:07:59) and Wong Kai-lok (1:10:10) promoted to second and third, respectively.