Chinese Runner Catching up to Foreigners Blocked by a Truck
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The Dalian Marathon has recently become a trending topic in social media after a video clip was shared online showing a truck blocking a Chinese athlete just before the finish line. The athlete, Yin Shunjin, was catching up to his foreign counterparts when the incident took place.
The foreign athletes were not affected by the block, giving them what netizens see as an unfair advantage.
The incident happened as the race was coming to an end, with Yin Shunjin giving it his all in a powerful sprint towards the finish line. Unexpectedly, the truck obstructed his way, catching him by surprise.
Yin Shunjin was forced to deviate from his running path and navigate around the truck to continue with the race.
Not only did this diversion cost Yin Shunjin the opportunity to sprint, but it also impacted his final position in the competition, finishing at number 7.
He finished the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 50 seconds, breaking his personal record, while the winner finished the race in 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 23 seconds.
Netizens noted that the difference between Yin and the winner of this marathon, Tsedat Abeje Ayana from Ethiopia, is only 27 seconds, insinuating that he would have performed much better if the truck had not blocked his path.
Dalian Marathon 2023 Results
The 38-year-old Yin did not express any dissatisfaction with the incident, he praised Dalian Marathon organizers and said he was proud to be a participant.
"Overall, the organization and environment of the Dalian Marathon are perfect and provide excellent services to athletes. As a native of Qinghai, I am delighted to come to the coastal city to participate in the marathon.
"I am very happy to break my personal record. 2 hours, 11 minutes, and 50 seconds is a new starting point. Thank you for your attention and support." Yin said.
Yin has previously won championships in various marathon races, and he had just won the 2023 Jiayuguan Great Wall Marathon on October 2.
Nevertheless, netizens are still fixated on the truck blocking Yin and demand answers. Since the truck and the driver were part of the marathon, they asked why the organizer hadn't released the statement from the driver explaining his actions.
"Why was the truck allowed to enter the track and move that near to runners?" Asked one netizen.
"People who participate in marathons know how dangerous this kind of action can be. Not to mention the truck, even a person blocking you that way may lead to a disaster." Added another netizen.
"The pickup truck perfectly avoided the foreign friends in front of Yin, blocking him in a daze. Isn't this just a trap for our own people?" Quipped another user.
"The relevant departments should carefully investigate that car, it happened at such a perfect time." Suggested another.
Organizer’s Response
The Dalian Marathon Organizing Committee expressed deep regret over the incident and issued a sincere apology to the affected runners and spectators.
They vowed to put more effort into preventing similar mistakes from occurring in future events and promised to enhance incidence management and supervision measures.
Nevertheless, netizens are still skeptical as the committee only apologized and promised to improve management in future events, failing to answer the question that netizens demanded answers to — Why did the truck drive towards the track at that particular moment, blocking that particular person?
Reference: RedStarNews
*The opinions expressed in the article are solely those of the author.*
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