Ultramarathon runner took third place – then revealed she had taken a car during the race

Runner Joasia Zakrzewski took a flight from Australia to the U.K. to compete in an ultramarathon – and then she used a car to finish the race. It was only after she accepted the third place prize that she revealed she had cheated during the 2023 GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool, according to BBC News. 

According to Facebook posts, Zakrzewski, 47, was neck and neck with the other top runners in the 50-mile race. But for 2.5 miles of it, she was in a car.

Zakrzewski, a doctor, has an explanation for why she got in the car. She said she became lost and her leg felt sore around the 25 mile mark. Her friend gave her a lift to the next checkpoint, where she tried to tell race officials she was quitting.