FOR THE FIRST time in 22 years, an Italian male runner has won the Venice marathon but he did so in the most unlikely of circumstances.
With 10 miles to go, a group of six runners including race favourites Abdulahl Dawud, Gilbert Kipleting Chumba, Kipkemei Mutai and David Kiprono Metto, took a wrong turn and followed a motorbike off the race course and onto what appears to be a main road.
The group trailed the bike for several hundred metres before realising their mistake and doubling back.
However, they lost nearly two minutes in the process which gave Eyob Faniel — a member of the local marathon club — enough of a cushion to take the win in a time of 2:12:16.
If you’re running the Dublin City Marathon this weekend, maybe have another glance over the route.
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