At the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon on Nov. 3, Ethiopia’s Tesfaye Ketema lost a crucial lead in the final stretch due to an error by a race volunteer. With just one kilometer to go, a volunteer’s hand signal directed Ketema off course, forcing him into a detour that allowed Kenya’s Moses Kibet to overtake him and win the race.
Volunteer’s Misstep at #Hangzhou #Marathon Costs Runner $30K!💸 At the 2024 Hangzhou Marathon, a dramatic turn of events occurred in the final stretch. Due to a suspected volunteer error, the leading runner was mistakenly directed, allowing the second-place runner to surge ahead… pic.twitter.com/HOIGGradbd
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) November 4, 2024
Video footage shows Ketema misreading the volunteer’s signal, causing both him and Kibet, who was close behind, to veer off track. Kibet reacted faster, doubling back to the correct course and crossing the finish line first in a time of 2:07:47, earning him the $50,000 top prize and a bonus for setting a new course record.
Ketema finished second in 2:07:53, collecting $24,000—over half less than what he would have earned for first place, not including the bonus for the course record. Race officials later noted that both runners encountered Mandarin signs indicating the correct direction, but Kibet managed to correct his mistake faster.
The men’s race saw all top three runners break the previous course record of 2:10:05. In the women’s division, Kenya’s Helah Jelagat Kiprop took first place in 2:22:57, followed by Ethiopia’s Sadiya Awel at 2:24:57.
Established in 1987, the Hangzhou Marathon is one of China’s most popular races and saw over 36,000 participants at the 2024 edition.
