Illinois man wins marathon after Kenyan frontrunners mistakenly diverted from course
Illinois man Tyler Pence has a bicycle-riding volunteer to thank for leading a pair of Kenyan front-runners off course and clearing the way for him to take home the $3,000 prize at Sunday’s Quad Cities Marathon.
Elijah Mwangangi Saolo and Luke Kibet were both outpacing Pence by far prior to the apparent mishap, according to the Quad-City Times. The pair reportedly followed a volunteer guide who went straight when he should have turned left about halfway through the race. That led to their disqualification.
Pence, a college track coach, finished with a personal best of two hours, 15 minutes and six seconds to become the first U.S. runner to win the marathon in 20 years. Saolo was on pace to break the course record when he went astray. He’s hoping to save enough money to keep his family in the United States.
The race director confirmed the volunteer cyclist went the wrong way, but faults the Kenyans for ignoring clear markers and signage and following his lead. Race officials had also hosted a meeting the day before the race to familiarize runners with the course.
Pence, 28, said “It was pretty obvious” which way runners were supposed to go and isn’t sure what Saolo and Kibet were thinking.
“I was about 20 seconds back so I kind of saw it happening, but I’m not going to shout,” he said. “It’s not my job.”
The Quad Cities Marathon takes place in Illinois and Iowa alongside the Mississippi River. Pence said he wished the frontrunners had stayed in the competition to make things interesting.
Race officials are reportedly considering how they might compensate both Kenyan runners.
“I messed up royally,” the upset bicyclist reportedly confessed.
Ethiopia’s Hirut Guangul won the women’s race for the sixth time and took home that run’s $3,000 prize.
