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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Ellen Kirwin

Runner who finished third in Manchester to Liverpool marathon disqualified

An ultra-marathon runner has been disqualified from a race for using a car.

Joasia Zakrzewski finished the GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool race, on April 7, in third place. However the 47-year-old, from Dumfries, Scotland, was found to have travelled 2.5 miles in a car.

She was found out after mapping data found she covered a mile in one minute and 40 seconds. Director of the GB Ultras race, Wayne Drinkwater, said the findings are "very disappointing".

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He told the BBC: "The issue has been investigated and, having reviewed the data from our race tracking system, GPX data, statements provided from our event team, other competitors and from the participant herself, we can confirm that a runner has now been disqualified from the event having taken vehicle transport during part of the route.

"The matter is now with the TRA (Trail Running Association) and, in turn, UK Athletics (UKA) as the regulatory bodies." Zakrezewski finished 14th in the 2014 Commonwealth Games marathon in Scotland and has set records in the UK over 100 and 200 miles.

Third place in the GB Ultras race has now been awarded to Mel Sykes. Adrian Stott, a friend of the runner, told the BBC she is "genuinely sorry" and felt unwell before and during the race.

He said: "The race didn't go to plan. She said she was feeling sick and tired on the race and wanted to drop out. She has co-operated fully with the race organisers' investigations, giving them a full account of what happened. She genuinely feels sorry for any upset caused."

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