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Joasia Zakrzewski: Ultra-runner who ran faster than Usain Bolt disqualified after found using car for 2.5 miles during 50-mile race

Joasia Zakrzewski was tracked on GPX mapping data covering a mile of race in just 1 minute 40 seconds at a speed of 35mph

LIVERPOOL, UK: A 47-year-old Scottish ultra-marathon runner, Dr Joasia Zakrzewski, has been disqualified from 2023 GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool 50-mile race after she used a car for 2.5 miles. The disqualification comes after she claimed third place prize with a time of 7 hours and 25 minutes in the race that took place on April 7. She was later tracked on GPX mapping data covering a mile of the race in just 1 minute 40 seconds at a speed of 35mph, faster than Olympic champion Usain Bolt, who ran 200 meters in 19.19 seconds.

According to BBC, Adrian Stott, a running friend of Zakrzewski said she reached just a night before the race after travelling for 48 hours from Australia. 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 cooperated fully with the race organisers' investigations, giving them a full account of what happened. She genuinely feels sorry for any upset caused." And added, "Joasia has been a great ambassador for British sport and has inspired so many women to run and achieve their goals." 

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'The matter is now with the TRA'

The issue has been referred to UK Athletics, the BBC reports. The director of the GB Ultras race, Wayne Drinkwater, said he had received information after the ultra-marathon that a runner got an “unsporting, competitive advantage during a section of the event”. He said, "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." He further stated that a report of the disqualification had been submitted to the Trail Running Association (TRA), which gives the license for the race and is an associate member of UK Athletics. "The matter is now with the TRA and, in turn, UK Athletics (UKA) as the regulatory bodies," he said.

The third place has now been awarded to Mel Sykes, who took to Twitter and wrote, "Great news for me but really bad news for sportsmanship The below happened because a fellow competitor cheated. She traveled in a car for around 2.5 miles of the M2L 50-mile event last week. After an investigation, she has now been DQ’d, and rightly so." She then added, "No race director wants this to happen at one of their events and the team at GB Ultras have been fantastic at carrying out their investigation. The 3rd place trophy is being returned to them, then will be posted out to me." In another tweet, she wrote, "The sad thing in all this is that it completely takes the piss out of the race organizers, fellow competitors and fair sport. How can someone who knows they have cheated cross a finish line, collect a medal/trophy and have their photos taken?"

'It is very disappointing'

Zakrzewski represented Scotland in the marathon at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and set a world record for the most miles run by a woman in 48 hours at the Taipei Ultramarathon in Taiwan in February 2023, Scottish Athletics chairman David Ovens said, "It is very disappointing to hear this, given Joasia's had such a successful period over the last few years. I hope she can put this behind her and that there is an innocent explanation and she can resume her successful career."