Derara Hurisa looked distraught as she sat on the pavement in the finishing area between Vienna’s Burgtheater and the majestic town hall, less than 45 minutes after breaking the finishing tape in the heart of Vienna in 2:09:22.
Hurisa was been disqualified because the soles of his shoes were one centimeter thicker than they were supposed to be.
Road running shoes must have a sole thickness of no more than four cm.
He was wearing a pair of shoes with a five-centimeter sole thickness.
He is claimed to have picked the racing shoes because he had used them in training and assumed they were legal.
“Unfortunately we had no other choice than disqualifying the athlete,“ said Hannes Langer, who is one of the elite race coordinators of the Vienna City Marathon.
“It is the first time something like this has happened. And I am pretty sure that from now on there will be some form of checks to avoid something like this to happen again in a major race.”
Results, Men:
1. Leonard Langat KEN 2:09:25
2. Betesfa Getahun ETH 2:09:42
3. Edwin Kosgei KEN 2:10:10
4. Kento Kikutani JPN 2:10:37
5. Samwel Kiptoo KEN 2:11:16
6. Tadesse Abraham SUI 2:12:26
7. Yuta Koyama JPN 2:17:20
8. Edwin Kangogo KEN 2:17:37
Women:
1. Vibian Chepkirui KEN 2:24:29
2. Meseret Dinke ETH 2:25:31
3. Gelete Burka ETH 2:25:38
4. Fabienne Schlumpf SUI 2:26:31
5. Lucy Cheruiyot KEN 2:27:47
6. Celestine Chepchirchir KEN 2:28:49
