Vienna Marathon men's winner DQ'd for wearing illegal footwear

Ethiopia's Derara Hurisa was disqualified for wearing the wrong shoes after winning the Vienna Marathon on Sunday.

Late switch to training shoe 1 cm thicker than permitted costs Derara Hurisa

Ethiopia's Derara Hurisa reaches the finish first at the 38th edition of the Vienna City Marathon on Sunday, He was later disqualified for using non-compliant shoes. (Hans Punz/APA/AFP via Getty Images)

Ethiopia's Derara Hurisa was disqualified for wearing the wrong shoes after winning the Vienna Marathon on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Hurisa crossed the line first by three seconds but was later told he had been disqualified because the soles of his shoes were one centimetre (0.4 inches) thicker than the maximum four cm allowed.

Organizers said Hurisa had registered another shoe that met race rules but switched to the shoes he had used in training to run the actual marathon.

"I can't say at the moment why he didn't run in the shoes that were specified in the form," race coordinator Johannes Langer said.

Leonard Langat of Kenya, who had originally finished second – in two hours, nine minutes 25 seconds -- was declared the winner.

Betesfa Getahun of Ethiopia and Kenya's Edwin Kosgei completed the top three.

Debutant Vibian Chepkirui of Kenya won the women's race in 2:24:29.

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