US Sprinter Wins Despite 'Equipment Malfunction'

American sprinter Chris Robinson finished first in the 400-meter hurdles at the Golden Spike meet on Tuesday despite spending much of the race fighting a largely unsuccessful battle to keep his genitals inside his shorts. His "baton went rogue," as news.com.au puts it, when he still had 250 meters to run. The 24-year-old was seen trying to adjust his shorts while continuing to run at top speed, the New York Post reports. He won the event in Ostrava, Czech Republic, with a time of 48.05 seconds—a tenth of a second slower than his personal best.

Broadcasters apologized to viewers after instant replays gave a very clear view of the wardrobe malfunction. "That's a brilliant run by the American to be constantly adjusting certain parts of his equipment and possibly his anatomy down the home straight there around that top bend there," World Athletics commentator Tim Hutchings said after the race, per the Mirror. "He was having an equipment failure there. I think that is probably the politest way to put it. There hasn't been time to censor them, but well done to Chris Robinson for battling a problem that does emerge occasionally."