Photo finish
As all eyes were glued to the runners in a photo finish at The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon this morning, I was watching the people holding the finish line tape (gosh, I always seem to focus on logistics).
A grueling, shoulder-to-shoulder duel over the last several miles culminated in Moroccan Jaoaud Gharib aiming for the edge of the finish line tape, a subtle maneuver to outdo his fast-paced rival. Kenyan Patrick Ivuti, not willing to concede an inch, squeezed between Gharib and the tape holder to cross the line a microsecond ahead to claim victory.
The finish line tape is merely ceremonial, not official. A television replay from two angles revealed Ivuti's win.
Most races don't have media coverage or even finish line tapes. So, always have a race official, ideally armed with a camera, to observe and record the actual finish so there won't be any question of its validity. Today's marathon finish was the closest I've ever seen.