Outrage as marathon runner’s heart broken 10m from finish line
The Paralympics has ended on a heartbreaking note with a marathon runner disqualified two-metres from the finish line.
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The Paralympics has ended in a heartbreaking note with outrage surrounding the disqualification of a marathon runner 2m from the finish line.
There has been widespread condemnation of Paralympic officials after Spain’s Elena Congost had the bronze medal ripped out of her hands over a disqualification that was handed down after she crossed the finish line in third place during Monday morning’s T12/B2 run.
The 36-year-old was running in the vision-impaired category. She was born with a degenerative vision impairment and ran with guide Mia Carol Bruguera along the Paris streets.
With Bruguera faltering in the final metres before the finish line with cramp after 42km of running, Congost attempted to help her guide from falling over and let go of the rope that binds them, which is not allowed within Paralympic rules.
All runners in the T12 marathon must be connected to their guide via a tether at all times.
Japan’s Misato Michishita was elevated to the bronze medal after finishing fourth and only found out about the development as she was on her way to have a doping test.
A devastated Congost spoke to TV cameras in a heartbreaking interview after the race.
“It’s unfair, surreal,” she said.
“The next athlete was three minutes behind me. It was just a reflex action that any human being would have done – holding on to someone who is falling.”
“But that doesn’t mean that there is any kind of benefit or help. In fact, it is clear that I stop dead.
“I can’t find any explanation for this. It’s sad because, in addition, I had just been without a scholarship. And I’m not going to get one now. They will leave me out of everything again when I have shown everything I can do.
“I have not been disqualified for cheating, but for being a person, for helping someone.”
She told Spanish outlet Marca she is proud of her actions.
“I would like everyone to know that I have not been disqualified for cheating, but rather I have been disqualified for being a person and for an instinct that comes to you when someone is falling and is to help or support them,” she said.
“I’m devastated, to be honest, because I had the medal. I’m super proud of everything I’ve done and in the end they disqualify me because 10 metres from the finish line I let go of the rope for a second because a person next to me fell face first to the ground and I grabbed the rope again and we crossed the finish line.
“The next athlete is three minutes away from me, so it was a reflex action of any human being to hold on to a person who is falling next to you.”
Reactions from fans around the world have been almost unanimous in calling for officials to overturn their disqualification verdict.
“Shame on you. Give the medal back to Elena Congost,” one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Another posted: “Where is the Olympic spirit? Elena Congost was disqualified after running 42km and helping her guide not to fall to the ground. She has lost the bronze medal and her sports scholarship. Disgusting.”
Another responded to the official Paralympics profile by posting: “Give the medal to Elena Congost. This decision ruins the paralympics. How can you be called inclusive if you can’t help a person from falling?”
Morocco’s Fatima Ezzahra El Idrissi smashed the world record when finishing with a time of 2 hours, 48 minutes and 36 seconds.
Compatriot Meryem En-Nourhi was just over nine minutes behind.
Wajdi Boukhili won the men’s T12 marathon while Switzerland’s Marcel Hug won his fourth medal of the Games – and first gold – in the men’s T54 marathon.
Originally published as Outrage as marathon runner’s heart broken 10m from finish line
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