Bristol half marathon winner disqualified after running the wrong race

Virgin Radio

21 Sep 2021, 13:47

The winner of the Bristol half marathon has been disqualified after it emerged he had signed up for the 10k race instead.

The Bristol half marathon took place alongside the Bristol 10k race last Sunday as part of the Great Bristol Run. 

The Bristol 10k is usually held in the spring, and the half marathon in autumn. This year due to Covid-19 the 10k had to be postponed, so both races took place on the same day. 

The courses for the 10k and the half marathon overlapped, and Omar Ahmed took a wrong turn where they diverged and ended up on the half marathon course. He completed the 22 kilometres in just 63 minutes, 4 minutes ahead of the next runner up.

Although he was initially declared the half marathon winner, the decision was rescinded by the organisers following complaints from other athletes.

A representative from the race’s organisers said "Omar Ahmed, who put in an impressive performance at the Great Bristol Run on Sunday, has unfortunately been disqualified as he was originally signed up to run the 10K distance and not the half marathon," 

"All results are subject to ratification by officials, and although Ahmed was initially declared winner of yesterday’s Great Bristol Run Half Marathon, after objections from other athletes and subsequent investigation, he has now been disqualified and the results reissued.”

"Unfortunately, as he entered the 10k as an elite runner and not the half marathon, he was not officially part of the half marathon race.”

The revised position saw Chris Thompson from the Aldershot, Farnham and District Athletics Club crowned the new winner, with a total time of 67 minutes.

Paul Foster, the chief executive of The Great Run Company, said: “Rules are rules and in this case, they say we have to disqualify Omar. We salute his performance, and he has been invited to take part in next week’s Great Manchester Run as an elite athlete. Of course, we also look forward to welcoming him back to Bristol for 2022’s Great Bristol Run.”