Marathon winner disqualified after taking water from his dad in race: 'I know I won'
Esteban Prado, a 24-year-old long-distance runner, led for almost all of the 2 hours, 24 minutes and 54 seconds that he was on the 26.2 mile course of the Orange County Marathon in Southern California on Saturday.
But the celebration for the Fountain Valley, California, man was short-lived when he found out that he had been disqualified from the race entirely for taking water from a family member during the race, according to ABC News’ Los Angeles station KABC.
The issue wasn’t the fact that he was drinking the water but rather when he accepted it.
"During yesterday’s Hoag OC Marathon, we were forced to disqualify a participant after it was confirmed they received unauthorized assistance from an individual on a bicycle, in violation of USA Track & Field rules and our race regulations,” said Race Director Gary Kutschar in a statement obtained by ABC News. “We take these rules seriously to ensure fairness and the integrity of our event for all competitors.”
According to the rules, runners can only get water from official hydration stations and since he received water at an unauthorized part of the race, he was disqualified.
“I know I won," Prado said in disbelief, according to KABC.
In only his second marathon, the runner said he spent about four months training for the marathon and was enjoying the spoils of victory when before he received a call from the race director, saying a competitor saw him get a water bottle during the race, KABC said.
"The only person that could see me within range was second place," Prado told KABC. "Whenever I got to these stations, the volunteers were scrambling because I'm the only runner in sight," he said. "You could barely see me, like, at certain turns."
Prado knew that he had access to aid stations during his run but was unaware of the rule, specifically Rule 144 of the USA Track & Field competition rules, that taking any provisions outside of those areas is considered “assistance.”
Prado was not happy with the outcome.
"You get no money or anything,” Prado told KABC. “You know, if [the second-place runner] wanted that congratulations for that first place, if he really felt like he needed it, it's just for him at the end of the day," said Prado. "I really got nothing out of it. I know I won."
Prado won't be able to use his final race time to qualify for future races.
But, at least for now, Prado says he may run his third marathon in the fall and plans to follow all the rules.
The race, which also served as the national championship for the Road Runners Club of America -- the nation's oldest and largest distance running organization -- was officially won by Jason Yang of San Pedro, California, who was declared the winner in 2 hours, 25 minutes, 11 seconds after Prado’s disqualification.
