OC Marathon Winner DQ for Unauthorized Assistance

Random people out on course getting water from someone is a far cry from the winner receiving different aid then second place did when their is prize money on the line.

I didn't think it was possible to think both the winner and 2nd place could be wrong, but that is where I currently stand. Winner was clearly benefitting from his dad riding next to him on the e-bike. You can see him with him throughout the race on the video. It isn't like it was a one-time "throw him a bottle" kind of thing. Also, he cheated. Why try to shift blame to the volunteers or 2nd place? Unsportsmanlike and downright classless. BTW, the water tables looked pretty prepared in the video.

But I also don't like the 2nd place guy's gloating about his big win after narc-ing on the winner. Nerdy and try-hardy. Both these guys need to focus on their training and stop chasing the TV station clout.

It’s the same douche bag RD from 10yrs ago Gary Kutschar pulling the same power trip. How is this twat still even around? The rules dictate a person needs to be given a warning first then a DQ. The aid stations are typically late to set up at this race. They need to get their crap together.

Jason Yang, the newly declared winner, is your typical local elite hype-bag. Shows up at smaller socal marathons and runs high 220s and wins often.

Sounds like you didn’t watch the video.

Man, there is nothing wrong with winning local races in 2:20s - that is a legit good time - but I don't like the gloating about turning in the winner. I would have used the cheating as a way to get to full pure hate mode and beat him in the final 800 meters.

But I do agree with others that this kind of falls on the RD and it seems weird that he put it out there to the public that 2nd told on 1st.

I bet this guy is a huge Matt Choi fan. Probably thinks it’s legal because Matt does it all the time.

The aid he got was totally preplanned, with him only taking fluids handed him by his dad on a bike. Then he tries to blame the volunteers as an excuse for his actions.

That's really lame and reflects poorly on his character. He's not getting any sympathy from me. DQ was definitely deserved.

Getting handed bottles during a race would increase nutrition consumed and save time. At 5 seconds per aid station you could save 60 seconds easily over the 26.2 miles. This was part of Kipchoge's sub 2 hour strategy for a reason.

The DQ is totally justified.

I agree that this runner was in violation of USATF & WA Rules of competition. BUT there is a problem here. I can't find anywhere on the event website that the race is run under those rules ....not even a link! Many of the posters have stated that an athlete of that caliber should have known the rules but I'm not sure that many know all the rules. A race covers itself by posting them online. This is an issue I learned the hard way. Over 30 years ago I DQ'd an athlete for a violation of USATF rule. The County Executive (County owned the race), challenged my decision based on the fact that the rules weren't published anywhere. I had to reinstate the runner. From that point on, I had the rules published. And apparently the bike escorts didn't know the rules either. All one of them needed to do is cycle next to the father and warn him and it would have been a non-issue.

What's funny is I randomly got recommended this article and decided to click on it. I actually know this guy and have raced against him before, surprised he managed to pop a 2:24 since I was under the impression he was still racing college track and XC distances (14:40s 5k guy)

The DQ sucks but the rule is fair imo, I just wonder if it was intentional or if he didn't know

DQ’d runner lost my sympathy for it potentially being a rule he was unaware of when he started blaming the aid stations with a completely fabricated story as opposed to reality which was a clearly intentional fueling plan.

I don't blame Yang at all for turning Prado in.

Would any 2:25 guy who finished only 17 seconds back really not do the same?

Yang was putting in the effort and going for the win in the RRCA National Championship and he watched the guy he was trying to catch receive assistance on several occasions.

Thank you Mr Katz for what you do for Athletics.

In scrolling through the thread I too wondered if the event had USATF sanction or if a certified official was present. If not, I do not see how the DQ can stand.

It's the OC Marathon.. no prize money unless you break the course record. He clearly wasn't even close, why be petty and tell. I get it rules are rules but how many times have sub elite runners taken a bottle from a family member on the course. I am willing to say more often then not.

Uh what? He was indeed close.

2:25 is not even close to the course record....

How many times has a sub elite runner who clearly violated the rules finished first in the marathon?

He was close to winning.