The marathon season is filled with captivating moments, from elite athletes pushing their limits to runners supporting each other and the heartbreak of shattered dreams.
However, there are instances where individuals try to bend the rules at major events.
Recently, a Chinese fitness influencer faced backlash and lost her sponsorship after photos surfaced of her hitching a ride on a bike during the Berlin Marathon, a 42.2-kilometer race.
The images, shared by the Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit (OMTIU) on Instagram, showed the influencer achieving her fastest time between the 35- and 40-kilometer marks, coinciding with when she was seen on the bike.
A composite image from The Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit (OMTIU) alleging a Chinese influencer taking a shortcut during the Berlin Marathon. (@officialunofficialtime/Instagram)
CBC News has contacted OMTIU and the Berlin Marathon for further details but has not received a response yet.
The influencer, known as Abeeeer on the social platform Rednote, posted a public apology to her 520,000 followers, admitting to violating the race rules and concealing her actions after feeling unwell during the event.
She acknowledged that her behavior was disrespectful to the marathon’s spirit and expressed regret for not being honest in her post-race updates.
The bib number visible in the photos belonged to Yuanyuan Sun from China, who officially finished the race in 4:53:46.
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Reports indicate that the influencer had previously shared about achieving a personal best but has since deleted her Berlin Marathon posts except for the apology.
One of her sponsors, Brooks, confirmed terminating their partnership with her upon learning about the incident to uphold the values of integrity, fairness, and respect for competition.
The Berlin Marathon, with over 56,000 participants from 162 countries, is renowned for its flat
