Beijing Half Marathon winner at center of event partner investigation

The Chinese sports brand Xtep has launched an investigation into athlete He Jie, who they endorse and is alleged to have been assisted by three foreign runners to win the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon championship, The Paper reported on Monday.

Chinese athlete He, the holder of the Chinese marathon record, clinched the championship with a time of 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 44 seconds at the 2024 Beijing Half Marathon on April 14. However, the live broadcast footage suggests that He may have been "escorted" to victory by three foreign athletes, sparking controversy.

Footage from the broadcast shows that in the final few hundred meters, he was initially trailing behind. One of three foreign runners made gestures including looking back and waving, and then He surged ahead, ultimately securing victory with a 1-second advantage.

Public records indicate that Xtep was the event partner for this year's Beijing Half Marathon, with He being a signed athlete for Xtep.

He previously set a new Chinese marathon record of 2 hours, 6 minutes, and 57 seconds at the 10th Wuxi Marathon and Paris Olympic Marathon Trials on March 24.

As of the time of publication, the Beijing Half Marathon organizing committee has yet to provide a response.