JOHANNESBURG — Two men were disqualified from one of South Africa’s flagship marathon races after they finished in the top 10 of the women’s race in an example of cheating that has overshadowed the performance of honest runners.Their attempt at swapping bibs, which bear the identification numbers worn by racers, resulted in two women runners initially finishing outside the top 10 in the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on April 12.The annual Two Oceans race is one of South Africa’s iconic marathons and includes a 56-kilometer (34.7-mile) ultramarathon and a 21.1-kilometer (13.1-mile) half-marathon. The event attracts over 16,000 participants and finishing among the top 10 is a significant achievement for most runners. The two men, Luke Jacobs and Nic Bradfield, finished seventh and 10th. They were disqualified after a marathon board member uncovered the deception. The women runners who had been bumped were subsequently recognized for their legitimate finishes.Jacobs and Bradfield will face disciplinary processes by the marathon’s disciplinary subcommittee, said Two Oceans Marathon board member Stuart Mann, who helped uncover the deception.Exchanging bibs with another marathoner has become more common while also carrying far-reaching consequences, Mann said.“Not only is it considered unethical, but it also poses health and medicals risks in case of an emergency as wrong medication may be administered to a wrong person,” Mann said.Swapping numbers can result from different motivations, Mann explained. For some, it is done to avoid losing money if they are injured or for some other unexpected reaso …
