- The circumstances surrounding the end of Sunday’s race have raised questions
- Asian Games gold medalist He Jie overcame a big deficit to win on home soil
- Footage appeared to show leaders slowing down and not trying to regain the lead
An investigation has been launched into the Beijing half marathon after leaders appeared to delay to allow Chinese athlete He Jie to win the race.
Footage from Sunday’s event showed Kenyan runner Willy Mnangat looking at Jie and pointing to the finish line before the Asian Games marathon gold medalist edged ahead of himself, compatriot Robert Keter and Ethiopian Dejene Hailu Bikila.
The African trio had opened a gap of several hundred meters on Jie and they made no effort to regain the lead once their opponent had passed.
Mnangat later admitted to the South China Morning Post that he let Jie win the race “because he is my friend.”
The event’s organizer – the Beijing Sports Competition Management and International Exchange Center – referred an investigation to the half marathon organizing committee.
Kenyan runner Willy Mnangat could be seen looking at Jie and pointing towards the finish line before the Chinese athlete made his move forward
The 25-year-old appeared to be led forward as he took the lead in the closing stages
The Beijing Sports Bureau, the body responsible for sports, said an investigation was underway and the findings would be published later.
Jie, 25, a member of the Chinese marathon team, is also the national marathon record holder. He won in a time of 1:03:44, ahead of Mnangat, Keter and Bikila, all tied for second place.
The incident has attracted attention on social media, with some labeling the race a disgrace.
Users of Chinese social media site Weibo posted about the race, commenting “this is undoubtedly the most embarrassing title of He Jie’s career.”