Chinese runner Kenyan Willy Mnangat revealed he was appointed as a pacer to help athlete He Jie win the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon and break the national record.
He Jie (in red) runs ahead of a group of three African athletes as he approaches the finish line of the Beijing half marathon on April 14. Photo: Reuters
He Jie's victory in the Beijing half marathon on April 14th, finishing one second ahead of the runner-up, is causing considerable controversy in China.
A video circulating on social media shows two Kenyan athletes, Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat, along with Ethiopian athlete Dejene Hailu and Jie, approaching the finish line. The three African runners pointed towards the finish line, waved to Jie to move forward, and then slowed down together, allowing the home athlete to cross the finish line first.
On April 15th, when asked about the incident, Mnangat said that he let Jie overtake him because "they were friends." But just six hours later, the Kenyan runner revealed that he and three other athletes were hired as pacers to help He Jie break the Chinese half marathon record of 1 hour 2 minutes and 33 seconds. In reality, He Jie won the race but failed to break the record, with a time of 1 hour 3 minutes and 51 seconds.
"I'm competing as a pacer. My boss told me to come here and act as a pacer to help He Jie break the Chinese national record," Mnangat told the SCMP . "When I was preparing to apply for a visa, my agent from Kenya also told me I would be going to China to help the home runner break the national record."
However, despite repeated requests, Mnangat was unable to prove that he was hired as a pacer and was not participating in the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon as a competing athlete.
The moment the three runners in the African race yielded the win to He Jie.
SCMP was unable to contact Bikila and Keter, but did get in touch with one of Mnangat's representatives – a Chinese man named Karen Lin, who represents the 29 Kenyan athletes. However, in a brief conversation, Lin denied any involvement in the incident and accused the reporters of harassment.
Official documents from the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon record the race results with Bikila, Keter, and Mnangat finishing second, third, and fourth respectively. All three African runners are counted as competitors, not pacers.
Previously, when the organizers of the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon announced the official list of pacers on April 8th, neither Mnangat, Keter, nor Bikila were named. All pacers are Chinese and are tasked with setting the pace for between 130 and 310 minutes.
At the 2023 Beijing Half Marathon, elite runners participating as pacers will wear individual bibs. Hiring personal pacers to compete will be considered invalid. The race website also states that pacers will be provided with apparel featuring the word "Pacer" on the front and back from sponsor Xtep. He Jie is also the face of Xtep.
During a live broadcast on April 15th, He Jie addressed his fans, stating that he was merely a "victim" in the situation. The Chinese athlete also affirmed his professionalism and stated that he didn't need the recent championship to prove himself. "I don't think I need to explain too much. Thank you for your understanding and support, but I received many negative comments and private messages, which really confused me," He Jie expressed.
He Jie and other African runners wearing white Xtep jerseys on the Beijing half marathon course on April 14. Photo: Xinhua
The incident on April 14th forced the Beijing Sports Bureau to launch an investigation. The tournament organizer – the Beijing International Exchange and Competition Management Center – also opened a separate investigation to clarify the situation.
He Jie is China's top marathon runner. Last year, he made history by winning the 19th Asian Games with a time of 2 hours 13 minutes and 2 seconds, helping Chinese athletics win its first-ever gold medal in the 42.195 km race at the Asian Games. Also in 2023, Jie won the Wuhan Marathon with a time of 2 hours 12 minutes and 35 seconds.
Last month, Jie finished fourth at the 2024 Wuxi Marathon with a time of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 57 seconds, setting a new record for the Chinese marathon. He is also the first runner to help China achieve a time of 2 hours and 6 minutes. This achievement makes Jie a strong contender to represent China at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He Jie celebrates finishing ahead of a group of three African athletes on April 14. Photo: Xinhua.
Long-distance running events have boomed in China in recent years. However, many races have seen instances of cheating and poor organization. At the 2018 Shenzhen halfmarathon in Guangdong province, 258 athletes were found to have cheated, with many taking shortcuts.
In 2019, a woman was spotted using a bicycle in the Xuzhou International Marathon in Jiangsu Province, eastern China. Organizers asked her to dismount and return to the starting point.
Hong Duy
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