UGANDAN runner Victor Kiplangat claimed the gold medal in the men’s marathon at the Commonwealth Games – despite running the wrong way.
The 22-year-old took a wrong turn almost a mile away from the finishing line in Birmingham which threatened to cost him first place.
Victor Kiplangat ran the wrong way as he approached the end of the men’s marathon Credit: BBC
Uganda’s Kiplangat still managed to claim the gold medal in the Commonwealth Games race Credit: BBC
Kiplangat secured Uganda’s first-ever gold medal in the marathon event at the Commonwealth Games Credit: Reuters As he approached the end of the race, the long-distance specialist went the wrong way to leave the BBC Sport commentary team shocked.
With an aerial shot showing Kiplangat going the opposite direction, Steve Cram said: “Oh has he gone the wrong way? Oh no, no, no, no, no.”
Blaming the event organisers, he added: “It isn’t his fault. There is a blue line and he followed the vehicle… There should have been a lead bike. That is terrible.”
Paula Radcliffe then remarked: “I think he may have been focused on the bike ahead of him.
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Cyclist in tears after winning bronze only to be told she WON’T get medal “Often the blue line can disappear too just because they haven’t marked out a particular section, and it is a dash not a solid blue line.
“He didn’t notice it had gone the other side of the median down the middle of the road, then of course when he did realise he couldn’t get through the barriers and just cross over, he actually had to double back.”
Thankfully for Kiplangat, he had built up a lengthy lead as he finished one minute and 34 seconds ahead of Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu.
And the runner confirmed after his victory that he was left confused in the final stretch of the race.
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He said: “The people riding the motorcycles were confusing me. They told me to turn back but I still made it to the finish.”
Kiplangat continued: “I believe Uganda is proud of me today. We have been waiting for this.
“I feel so happy to have won. Thanks to all the fans for cheering me on.
“I was feeling fatigue in my legs but the crowd were cheering me on and they gave me courage.”
Kiplangat claimed the gold medal with a time of 2:10:55, just short of the Games record of 2:09.12 set by England’s Ian Thompson in 1974.
Kiplangat finished one minute and 34 seconds ahead of Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu Credit: Getty Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
