Daria Yadernaya, the top-performing Russian female runner at the 2025 Tokyo Marathon, has been disqualified after race organizers discovered she had taken shortcuts during the event.
Yadernaya initially finished the marathon on March 2 with a time of 2 hours, 46 minutes, and 42 seconds, ranking 47th overall and posting the best result among Russian female athletes. However, irregularities were detected when she failed to pass the chip-reading checkpoints at the 5 km, 10 km, and 25 km marks. Upon further investigation, officials confirmed signs of cheating and subsequently nullified her results.
Following this discovery, Yadernaya’s performances in other major marathons including Boston, New York, Berlin, London, and Chicago over the past three years came under scrutiny. Preliminary findings indicated a pattern of systematic cheating. While her Boston result remained intact, reports suggest she regularly took shortcuts in other races, reducing her running distance by 8 to 12 km. Allegedly, she mapped out her shortcuts in advance, used her phone for navigation, and even relied on public transportation like the subway.
This scandal has drawn significant attention due to Yadernaya’s professional background. She is a lecturer at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), a prestigious university affiliated with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. MGIMO is known for training future diplomats and officials, making her actions particularly controversial.
In 2016, Yadernaya authored an English-language book titled *Running Slowly and Calmly: Winning a Race from Last Place. From 700m to a Marathon in 9 Months*. The book provided tips on completing the full marathon distance, a striking contrast to the cheating allegations now surrounding her.
Be the first to comment