HONG KONG—China’s top-ranked long-distance runner eked out a dramatic victory in a recent half-marathon in front of a home crowd in Beijing, overtaking a trio of competitors in the final stretch to finish barely a stride’s length ahead.
Instead of exaltation, the victory by Paris Olympics aspirant He Jie has sowed confusion and shame among sports fans in China—and prompted an official investigation into the integrity of the race.
On Friday, after concluding the probe, the race’s organizer voided the top finishers’ results, including He’s.