A man has been arrested and will face fraud charges for cheating his way into second place at Kenya's Nairobi International Marathon.
Police and race officials said 28-year-old Julius Njogu hid among a group of spectators before joining yesterday's race near the finish line.
Njogu easily overtook several competitors in the final stretch before claiming second place.
He was in line to claim about $10,000 in prize money.
He has been disqualified from the race.
Officials said they became suspicious because Njogu showed no signs of fatigue and was not sweating when he finished, supposedly having just run 42 kilometres.
Runner Julius Ngoju argues his case after allegedly joining the marathon just 1km from the finish. Photo: Supplied
They discovered that he'd run barely one kilometre after emerging from a bunch of onlookers and joining the leading group of runners just outside the stadium.
Through the final few metres, Njogu jogged easily past Shadrack Kiptoo to cross second.
Joshua Kipkorir won the men's race in two hours, 13 minutes and 25 seconds.
Elizabeth Rumokoi won the women's title in 2:29.32.
"I followed the leading team from start to finish and I didn't see him," said race director Ibrahim Hussein, a former Boston and New York Marathon champion.
"He will not be recognized and I'm so disappointed that one can cheat in this modern age. He didn't finish second."
In 2013, two athletes were disqualified at the Nairobi marathon after also attempting to cheat their way to podium finishes in the women's race.
