A traffic camera caught runners cutting through trees at a half-marathon in Shenzhen, China, shaving around 1.2 to 1.9 miles off the 13-mile run, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported Thursday.
About 16,000 people were estimated to take part in the race on Sunday.
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But just days later it was discovered that 258 runners had cheated, with some taking shortcuts while others had fake bib numbers or hired people to run for them.
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Traffic police in Shenzhen released video from a traffic camera that showed alleged cheaters cutting through trees along the course.
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Organizers issued a statement, saying in part "we deeply regret the violations that occurred during the event."