China's Anhui Lu’an Marathon
Winners of this year’s Anhui Lu'an Marathon in China found themselves in a bewildering situation after receiving a truly unique prize—live geese—following their victory in the race.
In addition, on November 24th of the present year, Kenya's Mathew Kiprotich and Naomi Kakoko won the 26-mile Anhui marathon hosted at Lu'an, Anhui province. But their excitement ended in bewilderment while they were given live geese as a prize given to them.
A Strange Prize: Marathon Winners receive Geese in China -
Both champions were shocked as they stood on the podium with geese tucked under their arms. Naomi Kakoko told China's Jimu News that she had no idea what to do with the animals. For one thing, she wouldn't be able to take the geese on the public transportation she had used to get to the event.
Live Geese Handed as Prizes to International Marathon Runners
Images from the event show the marathoners standing in a state of disbelief, holding wicker baskets with red bows containing the live geese. Local media reported that many international runners, who had traveled by plane or train to participate, faced a logistical nightmare as they couldn't take the geese with them. Resulting in some rivals, including Kakoko and Kiprotich, having to hock their award geese off to any restaurants locally for only £5-approx 50 yuan, as it was just not plausible to travel with live geese.
"One of the runners said, "most of the international participants including the African athletes sold the geese to the locals through an interpreter".
The Cultural Meaning of Geese in Lu'an and Anhui Province
Local resident Mr. Zhang explained that geese are a regional specialty in Anhui province, particularly the Wanxi white goose. He said that the birds had become something of a "business card" for Lu'an, as they've gained prominence in recent years. The marathon organizers decided to give geese as a special gift to the winners, but, as Mr. Zhang pointed out, the problem of transportation for international runners may not have been fully considered in the preparation.
Organizers' Explanation: The Geese were an Addition to the Reward, Incentive Bonus in Disguise.
Later, marathon organizers still had to explain that geese were actually an addition to the bonus. They meant the small geese to be their little gesture-a "present" for the winners. Unfortunately, the sanity of giving out live animals as prizes to international participants was not well considered.
Conclusion: The Unexpected Geese Prize at Anhui Lu'an Marathon
While the live geese prize at the Anhui Lu'an Marathon might have been an unexpected twist for the winners, it surely wrote a very unusual chapter in the history of marathons around the world. It's clear that next time, organizers will likely rethink the transportation logistics for such unique prizes, ensuring international participants can take home a more manageable souvenir-one that doesn't involve live animals.