Connecticut Runner Disqualified Over Heart Rate Monitor — image accompanying Marathon Handbook's report. Image accompanying Marathon Handbook’s report; reduced and presented for news commentary with the attributed report. View the complete source report.
Quentin Koch, a Xavier junior, finished second but was disqualified for using a heart rate monitor. Connecticut bans such devices in championship races, unlike national rules.
Koch's coach appealed the disqualification, but a jury upheld it. Xavier still won the team title, their first since 2018. Koch can use the monitor in the New England Championships. Read more culture coverage.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference rule states any illegal aid, like a heart rate monitor, results in disqualification. The National Federation of State High School Associations allows such devices. Related: Dublin Marathon's Zero-Tolerance Policy on Bib Transfers Explained.
This original Runner World brief is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. Visit the source for its complete reporting, context and any later corrections.
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Questions about this report
What should runners know about Connecticut Runner Disqualified Over Heart Rate Monitor?
A high school runner lost second place due to a banned device at the state race. Quentin Koch, a Xavier junior, finished second but was disqualified for using a heart rate monitor. Connecticut bans such devices in championship races, unlike national rules.
When did Runner World publish this culture brief?
Runner World published this brief on November 7, 2026. The underlying Marathon Handbook report was dated November 7, 2026.
Where can readers find the complete original report?
This summary is based on reporting from Marathon Handbook. The attributed source link in the article leads to the publisher’s complete report.
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