Photo via Facebook/ Sergey Zyryanov

Sergey Zyryanov, a Russian runner, was disqualified from the Running@Wichit event in Phuket after reportedly following the wrong route. Zyryanov claims the error was due to the organisers' mishandling, yet his result was marked as DNF (did not finish). He shared his frustration on social media, highlighting the role of the lead vehicle in guiding him erroneously.

Zyryanov posted a video of himself throwing away his event medal, expressing his disappointment. The incident ignited a discussion among Thai runners and netizens, many of whom noted similar past issues in Thailand's running events. They called on the event organisers to accept responsibility for the mishap rather than blaming the runner.

Photo via Facebook/ Sergey Zyryanov

In subsequent posts, Zyryanov reiterated his belief that he won the race fairly and criticised the organisers' judgement. He mentioned that despite event staff and vehicles accompanying him, no warnings were given about the wrong turn. Zyryanov expressed his loss of trust in future Thai running events, while some followers cautioned against generalised judgments.

Officials from Wichit Sub-district Municipality stated that the lead vehicle slowed down due to traffic, leading Zyryanov past a critical turn and missing a checkpoint. The official statement confirmed that missing this checkpoint resulted in his disqualification as his full race time could not be verified. Despite the incident, organisers praised Zyryanov's athleticism and pledged to improve future event logistics and communication, reported The Thaiger.

Key Takeaways

• Sergey Zyryanov was disqualified after following an incorrect route, which he attributes to organiser error.

• The incident spurred online debates about the reliability of running events in Thailand.

• Event organisers plan to enhance route management in the future to prevent similar issues.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Thaiger 2026-02-04

 

 

So he was disqualified but did receive a medal?

1 minute ago, stevenl said:

So he was disqualified but did receive a medal?

Event medal, I'd say all paying participants receive an event medal.

15 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Zyryanov posted a video of himself throwing away his event medal

Low value comment removed

@PJ71

Comment on moderation removed

@PJ71

Three low value comments removed

https://aseannow.com/topic/1386197-important-notice-to-members-posting-on-the-forum/

Having ran in many Thai running events and even won a few back in the 90's, I am not surprised by this at all. The organisers do put on good events for the masses, but for the leading runners of races they are lacking in this area.

Let's hope this doesn't happen during F1 in Bangkok.

I am sure it has some value on lazada.