At the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town, two female runners initially finished outside the top 10 before bib swaps were discovered.
Published April 17, 2026
Two men were disqualified after finishing in the top 10 in the women’s race at one of South Africa’s signature marathon races.
At the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town on April 12, two female runners initially finished outside the top 10 after trying to replace the bib numbers worn by racers.
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The annual Two Oceans Race is one of South Africa’s signature marathon events and includes a 56km (34.7 miles) ultramarathon and a 21.1km (13.1 miles) half marathon. The event attracts more than 16,000 participants, and for most runners, finishing in the top 10 is a huge accomplishment.
Luke Jacobs and Nick Bradfield finished 7th and 10th. Marathon committee members exposed the fraud and they were disqualified. The female runner who was hit was later allowed to legally complete the race.
Two Oceans Marathon board member Stuart Mann, who was instrumental in uncovering the misconduct that clouded the performance of honest runners, said Jacobs and Bradfield would face disciplinary action by the Marathon Discipline Subcommittee.
Bib replacement is unethical and dangerous
Swapping bibs with another marathoner is becoming more common, Mann said, but it also has far-reaching implications.
“Not only is this considered unethical, but it can pose health and medical risks as the wrong drug could be given to the wrong person in an emergency,” Mann said.
Mann explained that exchanging numbers can stem from a variety of motivations. Some people do this to avoid losing money if they are unable to race due to injury or other unforeseen reasons. For others, deceptive practice allows them to obtain faster times to use in qualifying for future races.
Online photos lead to discovery and apology
Mann was tipped off to be one of the replacements after Jacobs posted a photo of himself racing on social media and people noticed the name “Larissa” appearing on his bib.
Upon further investigation, Mann learned that Jacobs had entered using the bib assigned to Larissa Parekh, who was registered to run in the women’s race.
“I made a mistake in judgment and did not consider the consequences. I should not have participated,” Jacobs said in a written apology.
Jacobs and Bradfield also stumbled upon modern sports technology. Race officials watched as the first 10 women crossed the finish line, but bib chip data showed that two other women also crossed the line, although officials did not observe them.
This discrepancy led to the discovery that Bradfield was competing in Teagan Garvey’s bib, but Garvey later admitted that he had given up his bib after suffering a hip problem before the race.
“The day before, my lower back was completely sore that I couldn’t even walk,” Garvey said. “I was disappointed to have to give up on the race, so a friend of mine ran in my place.”
Mann said Parekh did not give a clear explanation for his actions, but the two women have apologized and could face a two-year ban from competing in the Two Oceans Marathon.
