It was all going so well for Natsuki Terada. The Japanese runner was leading a recent marathon, but then he took a wrong turn ... with only about 200 feet left to race.

Terada had been competing for Kokugakuin University in the Hakone Ekiden relay marathon event between Tokyo and Hakone, and as he neared the end of his stage, the win appeared to be there for the taking.

You see, as he and three other runners approached the final straightaway, Terada kicked deep and powered his way from fourth into first place.

But then it all went horribly wrong when Terada followed a TV truck, which had been filming the action, as it turned down a side road. The problem: It wasn't going to the finish line.

So, about 70 yards from the end of the race, which was being broadcast on live TV and watched by millions, he made a sharp right as his competitors went straight on.

In case you're wondering, he didn't win. Check below for video.






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