Kicker: Reading the rules

NICK EICHER, HOST: And now a lesson in reading the competition rules. All of them. 

An Olympic qualifier for the triathlon took place this month in Tokyo.

Flora Duffy of Bermuda wound up winning that race.

DUFFY: I love the course. It was just great to race out there with the girls again.

Here’s the unusual part: she won it even though she finished third.

That’s because the two who finished ahead of her got disqualified.

Triathletes Georgia Taylor-Brown and Jess Learmonth of the UK didn’t cheat to edge ahead of opponents or fail a drug test. Nothing like that.

AUDIO: [Sound of race]

What the two training partners did do was cross the finish line together holding hands, arms raised above their heads in a display of victory and friendship. 

But the rules for the race say athletes who attempt to create a contrived tie will be disqualified. And so they were.

REICHARD: Tough way to lose a race!

EICHER: And probably the last time that ever happens to them.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

(Photo/The Bermudian Magazine)

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