Marathon Winner Took Bus to Finish Line

When Rob Sloan crossed the finish line in a British marathon on Sunday and claimed the bronze medal, he told reporters the race had been “absolutely, unbelievably tough.” In fact, it was so tough that he actually bailed at the 20-mile mark, hopped on a bus, then re-joined the runners at the end of the 26.2-mile course. His shortcut was uncovered after other runners, including the true third-place finisher, insisted they never saw Sloan pass them.

“He was the only runner in the whole of the race who ran the second half quicker than the first half,” points out the race organizer. Sloan’s time was 2:51:00. Though he initially insisted he had completed the entire marathon, he later admitted to taking the bus detour because he was tired. Some witnesses saw him hiding behind a tree before re-entering the race, the Telegraph notes. He was stripped of his medal and could be dismissed from his club and banned from future marathons. Click for a more impressive recent marathon story. (More marathon stories.)