Joasia Zakrzewski: GB runner who used car to drive part of 50-mile ultra breaks her silence after claiming 3rd place
THE top British runner who used a car to drive part of a 50-mile ultra has broken her silence after claiming third place.
Joasia Zakrzewski 47, finished third in the 2023 GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool 50-mile race for travelling by car for 2.5 miles.
Dr Zakrzewski, from Dumfries, was tracked via GPX mapping data covering a mile of the race in just one minute 40 seconds.
She was caught when the tracking data showed she had reached a “super-human” speed of 35mph – far faster than Olympic champion Usain Bolt at his peak.
The 47-year-old has today spoken out, claiming her actions were “not malicious” and she made a “massive error”.
Joasia said she had become lost on the course around the half-way mark when her leg began to feel sore and she started to limp.
She then spotted a friend and asked for a lift in his car.
The runner told BBC: “When I got to the checkpoint I told them I was pulling out and that I had been in the car, and they said ‘you will hate yourself if you stop’.
“I agreed to carry on in a non-competitive way.
“I made sure I didn’t overtake the runner in front when I saw her as I didn’t want to interfere with her race.”
After claiming third place prize with a time of seven hours and 25 minutes, Dr Zakrzewski then posed for pictures with her medal.
A pal of Dr Zakrzewski yesteday said she felt sick and was sorry for any upset.
The director of the GB Ultras race Wayne Drinkwater said he had received information after the ultramarathon that a runner had gained 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 added a report of the disqualification had been submitted to the Trail Running Association, which provides the licence for the event and is an associated member of UK Athletics.
He said: “The matter is now with the TRA and, in turn, UK Athletics (UKA) as the regulatory bodies.”
Third place in the race, which was on April 7, has now been given to Mel Sykes.
Ms Sykes, an NHS podiatrist, took to Twitter to brand her race rival as a “cheat”.
She said: “The sad thing in all this is that it completely takes the p**s out of the race organisers, 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?!”
When asked how Dr Zakrzewski had been caught, she replied: “Too many people noticed things were amiss and contacted the race organisers separately so they had to launch an investigation.”