Romany laments wrong turn by rival in RBC 15K: 'I didn't really win'

VICTORY for national distance runner Nicholas Romany at the RBC Run for Kids 15K on October 20 was not as sweet as he expected as his main rival on the local circuit, Kenyan Alex Ekesa, was disqualified for making a wrong turn during the route through Port of Spain.

Ekesa crossed the finish line first at the Queen's Park Savannah, but his excitement dissipated as race organisers told him he had ran the wrong route at the tail-end of the race.

Romany, who won 15,000 Caribbean miles and $1,500, confirmed to Newsday that Ekesa was about 200m ahead of him over the final kilometre, and believes he would have won the race if he had taken the correct route.

Ekesa expressed disappointment with the outcome via a Facebook post on October 20. He said he was “following the designated course when a course marshal directed me to turn off the marked path.”

Instead of staying along Serpentine Road before turning onto Elizabeth Street and then turning east along Hayes Street, Ekesa ran directly onto Hayes Street.

Ekesa clocked 47 minutes and 50 seconds (47.50), according to his Strava app, which measured distance covered as 14.74km. Romany, who crossed the line second, but was upgraded to first place, clocked a winning time of 51.23.

Romany, who competes with TT Road Runners Club, described Ekesa’s incident as unfortunate.

“I didn’t really win,” Romany said. “I saw the course on Facebook because an event organiser posted video with the course, and most of us watched it, so I knew where I had to go.”

However, Romany said when he approached the point of the race where Ekesa was guided to go straight (off course) instead of left (official route) by the marshal, he was also directed to the wrong route.

However, he told the marshal that was the wrong direction and "made the left and went on the correct course.”

In Ekesa’s post, he posted a video of himself running accompanied by a police officer on a motorbike. He said he was leading the race and was reliant on the advice of officials and suitably placed signage to guide him and other runners on the correct route.

Upon approaching the marshal at the position he went off course, Ekesa said, “The officer used a hand sign to ask the marshal if we should proceed straight, and the marshal indicated that was the route. I trusted their guidance. I completed the race first overall."

Ekesa said mistakes do happen but wants those responsible to take ownership and bring a fair resolution to this matter.

He added, “I hope that the race organisers can take responsibility for the marshal's mistake and that my disqualification can be reconsidered.”

Meanwhile, Romany only realised he won when the awards were being distributed. When called to receive the winner’s prize, he told an official on stage that he was second, and would have to query it with organisers. Soon after, he heard Ekesa had been disqualified.

“I would not mind giving back the prize to him, but if they gave my second-place prize to third and so on, then I would be the only one losing out. There’s nothing I could have done about that,” Romany said.

“He would have still won if he took the correct course. I had already accepted that I was coming second. I was not going to fight for first at that point. I was the only person who could have seem him, and he was too far ahead for me to catch him.

Evolution Timing managing director Andreas Stuven, who was also the event road manager, said according to international rules the runner must know the course.

“But the race rules internationally are very clear; the runner has to know the course and if the runner decides to run another course, it’s on them.

“If the runner follows instructions from a volunteer who gives them wrong instructions, then unfortunately, and as harsh as it sounds, it’s on them too.

“Additionally, there was a race briefing that took place before event which specifically reiterated, and it describes the course, that you are responsible to know your course. It was publicly available as a map.”

TT Defence Force’s Collin Pereira (53.48) placed second and the unattached David Schweitzer (53.58) rounded off the top three men's overall finishers respectively.

In the women’s equivalent, unattached runner Samantha Shukla won in one hour and 3.21 minutes (1.03.21) while another unattached athlete Zara Suite-Stewart (1.08.54) placed second and Richard Jones Racing’s Teresa Otero (1.10.36) came third.

The 5K men's title was won by Carifta champion Tafari Waldron, who ran a blistering 14 minutes and 58 seconds, ahead of Donnell Francis. The women's 5K crown was taken by Shian Lewis (20 minutes, 15 seconds).