Rhian Ramos responds to allegations of cheating during New York City Marathon
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Kapuso actress Rhian Ramos addressed allegations that she and her boyfriend, Sam Verzosa, cheated during the 2024 New York City Marathon.
The couple had been celebrating their achievement of completing the challenging 42-km race. They dedicated this accomplishment to Smile Train, the world's largest cleft charity. Despite the positive reactions to their success, rumors began circulating online after some raised questions about missing entries in their race tracker. Specifically, there were no recorded times for the 18.6, 20, and 21.7-mile checkpoints, sparking speculation that the couple did not complete the marathon fairly.
To set the record straight, Rhian posted a video on Instagram showing highlights from their marathon experience. The reel captured their joy as they reached the 20-mile marker and included an email from the marathon organizers.
The email acknowledged the tracker discrepancies but confirmed that Rhian and Sam were indeed official finishers of the race. Part of the email read, "You are both still listed as official finishers."
Photo by: whianwamos IG
In the caption, Rhian called out those who spread misinformation.
She wrote, "I understand that a lot of people think 'chismis' is fun, and it's so easy to make something up just to get 15 minutes of fame... But in 2024, it's so easy to send an email, verify facts, and get your story straight before trying to ruin someone's name for a little attention -especially when it's your job to do so."
Rhian continued, "Yes, if you work in media, publications, or law, you do have a much bigger responsibility to not spread fake news, and it's much more disappointing for people in that line of business to publicize lies... But I believe that everyone can also benefit from a little fact-checking and common sense."
Related gallery: Check out Rhian Ramos and Sam Versoza's New York Marathon experience, here:
The Kapuso actress also shared that the New York Marathon was her first 42-km race. While she isn't a professional runner, her mental strength and active lifestyle helped her push through. She admitted that many friends warned her about the challenge of running such a long marathon, but her commitment to raising money for charity kept her going.
"We didn't do it to compete with anyone's times. We just had to make sure we could finish it without passing out or getting injured because, above everything, we were doing it for charity,"
Rhian further explained. "By completing each of our runs, Sam and I raised money for children with clefts to get proper treatment and essential operations...and even if we were pretty much limping to the finish line, it was this cause that kept us from quitting and made this experience one of the best things I've ever done! And I'd totally do it again too."
In closing, Rhian encouraged her followers to be cautious of fake news, " I'd like to use this moment to encourage you that if we could do this, you can do anything ! ...and also it's a reminder that liars and fake news are everywhere! And even if 'chismis' is fun,' the truth can be fun too."
Rhian's post was met with overwhelming support from her fans and friends, Fellow celebrities such as Michelle Dee, Carla Abellana, and Tim Yap expressed their love and encouragement in the comments.
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