Rhian Ramos Responds to New York Marathon Cheating Rumors
RHIAN RAMOS – Kapuso actress Rhian Ramos has responded to the cheating rumors surrounding her participation in the New York Marathon, setting the record straight and emphasizing her commitment to the race’s charitable cause.
Rhian Ramos recently addressed allegations of cheating pertaining to her and boyfriend Sam Verzosa’s 2024 New York City Marathon participation. Due to missing data points in their race tracker, rumors started to circulate online after they finished the challenging 42-kilometer race, which they dedicated to Smile Train, the largest cleft charity in the world. In particular, the 18.6, 20, and 21.7-mile checkpoints had no recorded times, which raised the possibility that the couple might not have finished the marathon in a legal manner.
Rhian clarified the situation by posting a video on Instagram that included footage of their run at the 20-mile mark and other highlights from their marathon experience. In spite of the inconsistencies, she also shared an email from the marathon organizers confirming their official finish status. The email reassured them, stating, “You are both still listed as official finishers.”
In her post, Rhian addressed the spread of rumors, emphasizing that while gossip might be entertaining, it’s easy to verify facts before damaging someone’s reputation. “It’s so easy to send an email, verify facts, and get your story straight before trying to ruin someone’s name,” she wrote. Rhian also pointed out the responsibility of media professionals to avoid spreading unverified information, stressing the importance of “fact-checking and common sense.”
The New York City Marathon was Rhian’s first 42-kilometer race. Although she’s not a professional runner, her mental strength and active lifestyle helped her finish. Despite warnings from friends about the race’s difficulty, her dedication to raising funds for cleft surgery kept her going. “We didn’t do it to compete with anyone’s times,” Rhian explained. “We did it for charity, raising money for children with clefts to get the necessary treatments.”
She ended her Instagram post by urging followers to be cautious of fake news, adding, “If we could do this, you can do anything! … Remember that even if ‘chismis’ is fun, the truth can be fun too.”
Rhian’s post received overwhelming support from her fans and fellow celebrities, including Michelle Dee, Carla Abellana, and Tim Yap, who left encouraging comments.
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