MARATHON RUNNER STRIPPED OF MEDAL FOR CATCHING THE BUS

A 31-year-old marathon runner was stripped of his third place medal this week after he was caught out catching the bus for the last leg of the race near Newcastle. Rob Sloan was taking part a marathon in the North of England on Sunday but after running 20 miles, decided to bow out of the race, catching a ride on the bus carrying spectators. However as the bus rolled up to the finishing line, Mr Sloan had a change of heart and hopped off the bus, emerging from the woods to sprint across the finish line on foot and win third place. Race officials noted that the 31-year-old runner’s time showed he had completed the second half of the race faster than the first half, the only runner to have ever done this in the history of the marathon, which raised a few suspicions. Keen to hold onto his third place medal, and personal best race time of 2 hours 51 minutes, 21 minutes faster than his previous record, Mr Sloan laughed off suggestions that he’d cheated during the marathon after several spectators, and the runner who came in behind the 31-year-old, questioned his position in the race. After the marathon officials launched an official investigation into the matter, Mr Sloan came clean and admitted he’d caught a bus for the last few miles of the race. He has since been disqualified and stripped of his medal, and the rightful winner of the third place has been awarded the prize.