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Curious Races in Ostrava

2006-08-02

At this season’s Super Grand Prix in Ostrava there were two curious running events. First it was an official who had an impact on the race. Then an athlete made a strange mistake and missed out on a possible good result.

In the 3,000m steeplechase the final lap was signalled 400 metres too soon. The Kenyan Paul Koech didn’t notice the fault, increased the pace and raised his arms when he crossed the finish line. By the time he realized that there was still one lap to go it was too late. The Austrian Gunther Weidlinger was away and won in 8.25.67 minutes. „This was a crazy race. According to the time I knew that we still had two laps to run at the bell,” said Weidlinger after the race.

On the same evening another novelty happened in the 3,000m race. The Kenyan Joseph Ebuya thought that the race would end where it had begun – after lap seven, 2800 metres respectively. Raising his arms in what he thought was a victory the 18 year-old Kenyan crossed the 2,800 m mark on the backstretch and stopped running. The others passed Ebuya and Tariku Bekele, the brother of world record holder Kenenisa, won the race after 3,000 metres in 7:36.44.

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