Gert Thys

Thys was born in Prieska, Northern Cape. He represented South Africa in the marathon at four consecutive editions of the World Championships in Athletics from 1999 to 2005. He has also competed at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships on three occasions, highlighted by top six finishes in 1997 and 1998.[http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/letter=0/athcode=13174/index.html Thys Gert]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-10-24. Thys is a two-time winner of the Beppu-Ōita Marathon and his time of 2:08:30 set in 1996 was the course record until 2013.[https://www.arrs.run/HP_BpOMa.htm Beppu-Oita Mainichi Marathon]. ARRS (24 December 2009). Retrieved on 2010-02-08. He was also a cross country runner earlier on in his career and was the 1994 winner of the Chiba International Cross Country.[https://www.arrs.run/HP_ChbXC.htm Chiba International Crosscountry]. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (15 February 2009). Retrieved on 2010-10-23.

He also had success in East Asia at the Seoul International Marathon, where he won three times between 2003 and 2006, as well as taking the runner-up spot in 2005. However, he was disqualified after his 2006 win because his doping test at the race was positive for the banned steroid norandrosterone.[https://www.arrs.run/HP_DgAMa.htm Seoul International Marathon]. Association of Road Racing Statisticians (23 March 2010). Retrieved on 2010-10-23. Thys contested the outcome and a protracted hearing following his competitive ban by Athletics South Africa eventually resulted in his exoneration. Laboratory errors in processing his sample meant the Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS found in his favour.[http://www.runnersworld.co.za/static/motivation/story.php?section_id=0&sub_section_id=25&id=1912 Gert Thys Banned by ASA]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Runners World. Retrieved on 2010-10-24.[http://athleteslawyer.com/documents/MAY2010.pdf Athletes' Voice] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707182533/http://athleteslawyer.com/documents/MAY2010.pdf |date=7 July 2011 }}. Athletes Lawyer (May 2010). Retrieved on 2010-10-24. In May 2010 the Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland overruled this decision, declaring that the CAS has no jurisdiction over this case.[http://jumpcgi.bger.ch/cgi-bin/JumpCGI?id=03.05.2010_4A_456/2009 4A_456/2009 (03.05.2010)] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120710135023/http://jumpcgi.bger.ch/cgi-bin/JumpCGI?id=03.05.2010_4A_456/2009 |date=10 July 2012 }} Thys successfully argued to the court that the fact that the same technician had analysed both his positive samples (a breach of the anti-doping rules) had meant that the validity of the tests could not stand. His doping ban was overturned on this basis in 2012 and he was re-instated as the winner of the 2006 Seoul Marathon.Haumann, Riel (13 January 2012). [http://running.competitor.com/2012/01/news/court-clears-south-african-marathoner-gert-thys_45151 Court Clears South African Marathoner Gert Thys] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301111613/http://running.competitor.com/2012/01/news/court-clears-south-african-marathoner-gert-thys_45151 |date=1 March 2012 }}. Competitor. Retrieved on 2012-01-13.

His extensive running career, which began at the age of thirteen, has taken in around forty competitive marathons. He came close to victory at the 2010 Beijing Marathon, but he slowed in the final stages and was runner-up to Siraj Gena.Butcher, Pat (24 October 2010). [http://www.iaaf.org/LRR10/news/newsid=58574.html Ethiopian Siraj takes victory in rain soaked Beijing]. IAAF. Retrieved on 2010-10-23.

{{reflist}}

• {{World Athletics}}
• [http://marathoninfo.free.fr/athletes/thys.htm Marathon Info profile]
• {{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/gert-thys-1.html |title=Gert Thys |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103043548/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/th/gert-thys-1.html |archive-date=2012-11-03 |url-status=dead}}

{{Footer Tokyo Marathon Champions Men}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thys, Gert}}

Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Siyathemba Local Municipality

Category:Cape Coloureds

Category:South African male long-distance runners

Category:South African male marathon runners

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1996 Summer Olympics

Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Olympic athletes for South Africa

Category:World Athletics Championships athletes for South Africa

Category:Athletes from the Northern Cape

Category:Cape Town Marathon male winners

Category:21st-century South African sportsmen