Paralympic marathon runner Elena Congost suffers heartbreak as she’s disqualified and denied a bronze medal just TWO METRES from the finish line

Paralympic marathon runner Elena Congost was devastated when she was disqualified two metres from the finish.

The Spanish T12/B2 athlete suffers from a degenerative visual impairment and ran the race with guide Mia Carol Bruguera.

Congost finished third in the T12 marathon event and also set a personal best of 3:00:48.

However, the 36-year-old was disqualified for letting go of the rope, which is not allowed under Paralympic rules.

Congost let go to help Brugera, who was suffering from cramp.

Congost had let go of the rope to help her guide Mia Carol Bruguera, who was struggling with cramps

After Congost was disqualified, third place was awarded to Misato Michishita from Japan.

The rules state that all runners in the T12 Marathon must be connected to their guide by cable at all times.

Morocco’s Fatima El Idrissi won the gold medal with a world record time of 2:48.36, while Meryem En-Nourhi took silver.

The bronze medal was instead awarded to Misato Michishita of Japan (right)

Speaking with BrandCongost admitted she was “devastated” by the result.

She said: ‘I want everyone to know that I was not disqualified for cheating, but rather for the fact that I am a person and because of an instinct that you have when someone falls and you want to help or support them.

‘I’m devastated, honestly, because I had the medal.

‘I’m super proud of everything I’ve done and then I get disqualified because I let go of the rope 10 meters from the finish line because someone next to me fell face down. I grabbed the rope again and we crossed the finish line.

“The next athlete is three minutes away from me, so it’s every human’s reflex to hold on to someone who falls next to you.”