Bus cheat steals Stevie's medal

David Knox • Published 14 Oct 2011 09:30 1 Comment

AN Innerleithen policeman was almost robbed of his marathon bronze medal at the weekend after a rival stole a ride on a bus.

Speedy Stevie Cairns thought he'd finished third in the off-road 26 miles race around Kielder Reservoir on Sunday.

But the commentator introduced the 43-year-old to the large crowd at Leaplish as the fourth-placed runner as he came into the home straight.

Following a probe by race officials, who were headed by Olympic champion Steve Cram, the 43-year-old cop was eventually given his place on the rostrum.

Cairns told the Peeblesshire News: "I knew I was third all the way round the race as I had a four or five minute lead over the guy in fourth. I was relaxing for the final ten miles as I knew I couldn't catch the two in front and felt safe in third.

"I couldn't believe it when they announced me as the fourth placed runner at the finish.

"I asked who finished third and they pointed to this man who was doing a television interview."

Rob Sloan from Sunderland claimed he had slashed 21 minutes from his previous best time to finish in third place.

And when quizzed by the Peeblesshire cop he claimed he'd moved into third at the 15 miles stage - while Stevie wasn't looking.

Cairns, who has competed for Northern Ireland on the international stage, waited for girlfriend Isobel Knox, also from Innerleithen, to finish an hour later before lodging an official complaint.

And it turned out that two spectators had also reported 31-year-old Sloan after seeing him on a bus and also hiding behind a tree while leaders, Ricky Lightfoot and Marcus Scotney, went passed.

Marshalls on the final six miles of the race, as well as video footage, confirmed Sloan hadn't made it passed 20 miles.

Cairns, who competes for the Hunter Bog Trotters club, added: "He tried to say that he'd beaten me but came clean in the end and apologised. In all my years of running I've never come across anything like this."

Race director Steve Cram phoned Cairns on Sunday evening to apologise for the controversy.

And it emerged that Sloan had taken a ride on a spectator bus for the final six miles of the race around Kielder Reservoir.

Organisers of the race issued a statement, which read: "Mr Sloan had apparently made the decision to withdraw from the race at approximately 20 miles due to fatigue and after returning to the Leaplish Park area he decided to run the closing section of the course and crossed the finish line in third place.

"This was rightly questioned by several witnesses including the rightful third place finisher Steven Cairns."

Cairns, who will find out next week if he's been selected for Northern Ireland's veteran cross country team, is now preparing for next year's London Marathon.

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 14 Oct 11

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• 

  bill3459
  15 posts
  Oct 14, 12:37
  Report comment

  Brilliant might put my name down for London marathon next year . Can anyone tell my does the number 63 go passed there .
  
  Recommend?   Yes 5     No 4

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