Brief
Chinese influencer Sun Yuanyuan rides bike during Berlin Marathon, loses sponsor
Sun Yuanyuan admitted to riding a bike at the Berlin Marathon and was dropped by Brooks China, according to Daily Mail.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Chinese social‑media creator Sun Yuanyuan was caught riding on the back of a bicycle during the Berlin Marathon in late September, the Daily Mail reported.
What happened
Sun, who has more than half a million followers, allegedly jumped onto a rider’s bike after feeling unwell and continued the race on the bicycle. She later posted a photo posing with her medal, claiming a personal‑best time.
What the reports add
The article notes that Sun later posted an apology on the platform RedNote, describing her act as “extremely dishonest” and a “sign of disrespect towards fair competition.” It also mentions that the Official Marathon Time Integrity Unit (OMTUI) has exposed dozens of similar cases, including other influencers manipulating Strava data or skipping sections of races.
What was said
Sun said on RedNote, “I feel deeply guilty about this… I offer my sincere apologies to everyone.” The Daily Mail added that Brooks China terminated her sponsorship following the incident.
How it came about
Sun’s behaviour follows a pattern highlighted by the OMTUI, which has reported multiple instances of marathon‑time fraud among influencers, such as the Instagram user gingerjmduff who allegedly skipped 10 km after a sponsored entry.
Key facts
- Sun Yuanyuan rode a bicycle during the Berlin Marathon and posed with a medal. (dailymail.co.uk)
- She apologized on RedNote, calling her act dishonest. (dailymail.co.uk)
- Brooks China ended her sponsorship after the incident. (dailymail.co.uk)
Sources
- [1] dailymail.co.uk — originally reported as “Influencers caught biking mid-marathon before posing with medals”
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