Thieves Ruin Famous Spirit Of Comrades Marathon

The robbers targeted past and current winners of the race.

Thieves put a damper on spirits in yesterday’s Comrades Marathon in South Africa. The 1996 winner, Jaroslaw Janicki, who wasn’t able to finish this year’s race, had his dismay worsened when he arrived at his car broke to find it broken into. Gone from his vehicle were all his belongings. The robbers then took his hotel card and made off with all his possessions in his room, including his passport.

“I am very upset about this,” said Janicki. “It’s been such a long day and then for this to happen; it is very upsetting.”

In his career, Janicki had won 12 Comrades medals.

Russian twins Elena and Olesya Nurgalieva who had finished first and second yesterday also had their car broken into. Clothing retailer Mr Price, the sponsor of all three runners, confirmed the incident.

“We will do everything we can to help Mr Janicki replace his passport so that he can travel back home,” said a company spokesman.

For More: Cape Argus