Married couple who cheated at London Marathon offered grovelling apology

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    A married couple were forced to apologise after they were caught cheating at the London Marathon.

    Monika Czarnecka, 41, and her husband Piotr, 42, completed the 26.2mile course around the English capital without incident in October 2021, finishing in 21,697th place out of the 80k runners with a time of four hours, 40 minutes and 58 seconds.

    However, eagle-eyed social media users spotted they were both sporting the same race number. The organisers launched an investigation and it emerged Piotr had reproduced his wife's number after failing to secure a place through the ballot.

    READ MORE: Marathon 'cheat' caught using car during race when she 'ran mile in under two minutes'

    The pair had to come clean, with Monika telling the Daily Mail: "I'm truly sorry for what we've done and didn't want to cause any harm.

    "The supporters were amazing, and their cheering and clapping helped me finish the marathon and it hurts to think that I've let them down.

    "This was my first marathon and I needed Piotr's support because I was worried sick that I wouldn't be able to finish it."

    Have you ever run a marathon? Let us know in the comments section.

    Piotr, meanwhile, said: "It was all my idea and I take full responsibility for it. I know it's wrong and I'm truly sorry, but I did what I did to support my wife.

    "I didn't collect a medal, I was just there to support Monika. The race was like a walk for me because my marathon times are a lot quicker.

    "I've run two London Marathons in the past so this one just gone was not about racing. It was all about my wife.

    "People are behaving as if we've committed a serious crime and are treating us worse than athletes who've been caught for drug cheating.

    "Monika has not cheated, she didn't take anyone's place and genuinely ran the race. It was me who did wrong because this was all my idea. But it was done in good faith."

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