Men disqualified from women's Top 10 at Two Oceans Marathon due to race number scandal
Karin-Mari Dötze celebrates what she believed was a Top 10 finish at the Two Oceans Marathon half marathon, before a results error briefly dropped her to 12th place.
Image: Supplied
A result changed on paper cannot restore the moment it replaced.
Two male runners who finished in the Women’s Top 10 of the Two Oceans Marathon half marathon have been disqualified after competing with race numbers registered to female entrants, in an incident that briefly appeared to alter the race’s public standings.
For one runner, the shift was immediate and deeply personal.
Karin-Mari Dötze said she crossed the finish line believing she had secured a place among the top 10 women, a milestone she and her coach had targeted after a breakthrough performance the year before.
“When I finished I heard the commentator saying I am Top 10, and my support at the end of the race made it very clear as well.
"My phone was going crazy. It felt so unreal but real at the same time. I was so happy and grateful,” she said.
About 30 minutes later, that moment changed.
“I asked a friend to refresh the results, just to check whether I’m dreaming or not, and that’s when the whole dream turned into a nightmare showing I am suddenly 12th,” she said.
Dötze said she was “really disappointed and confused”, initially believing she had been legitimately overtaken.
“I told myself it’s okay, if they really ran faster I’ll just train harder for next year. Everyone deserves their spot if they ran faster,” she said.
The race typically attracts around 16 000 runners, and making a Top 10 finish is a rare achievement at one of South Africa’s largest half marathons.
The race operates under a ballot system due to high demand, with entries issued to individual participants and linked to personal and medical information.
Transfers outside official channels are prohibited, and runners found in breach face disqualification and possible bans.
Details of the incident were published on the Running Mann blog by Stuart Mann, an elected member of the Two Oceans Marathon NPC board who also heads its disciplinary subcommittee.
Speaking to the Cape Argus in his personal capacity, Mann said the breach had a direct impact on athletes.
“This is a straightforward violation of well-publicised rules, and it directly affected the outcome of the women’s race,” he said.
According to information published on his blog, one of the runners used an entry belonging to a participant who had not planned to run, while in another case a runner took part using a female entrant’s number after she withdrew due to injury.
Sports science researcher Pieter-Henk Boer said bib swapping carries risks beyond race results.
“Bib swapping may seem harmless, but the risks are significant,” Boer said.
“In an emergency, incorrect medical and next-of-kin information can have serious consequences.”
Dötze said the correction brought relief, but not closure.
“I am really happy they corrected it and we found out the truth. But I did not get the whole feeling and vibe by joining the prize-giving. It’s a golden moment I really hoped and dreamed about, and I couldn’t have it,” she said.