Organisers of an endurance running competition were so prepared for a man to win, they didn't bother making a 'First Place Male' trophy.
Ellie Pell, a 27-year-old ultrarunner from New York, won the Green Lakes Endurance Run 50K outright on August 10. The accomplishment earned Pell awards for both overall winner and 'First Place Woman' - yet no trophy had been made for a 'First Place Male'.
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"The race director was blown away, since a woman has never won this race before," Pell told Runner's World.
As a man was expected to win first place overall, the second finisher - who was male - left the event empty-handed.
"It was great, but an awkward situation," race director Tim Hardy told the magazine.
"There's a lot of great women runners, but you don't see them winning ultras outright a lot. When it happens, they get two awards."
As a result, Pell claimed both the First Place Female trophy and the award for First Place overall.
"Times are changing. They didn't have an award for the first place male. Guess they weren't expecting a female overall winner," Pell tweeted, alongside photos from the event.
Hardy has ordered a First Place Male trophy for the runner-up after the race.
He told Runner's World that, in the future, he was considering awarding the top six finishers, regardless of gender.
Newshub.
