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5 months ago
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The husband of Australian marathon runner Lisa Weightman has started a social media war ahead of the Paris Olympics after accusing one of his wife's rivals of leaving their family 'heartbroken.'
Weightman's husband Lachlan McArthur is incensed his wife could be overlooked by selectors from Athletics Australia - despite having recorded the third-fastest time in the qualification period.
It is understood the three Aussie runners who will be selected to compete in Paris are Sinead Diver, Genevieve Gregson and Jessica Stenson.
The development prompted a fired up McArthur to call out Stenson (née Trengove) for having an existing photo with Weightman and her family on her X profile as her display picture.
The image was not posted recently and was also taken a few years ago.
The husband of Australian marathon runner Lisa Weightman (left) has started a social media war ahead of the Paris Olympics
Lisa Weightman is tipped to be overlooked for selection for the Games, prompting her husband to call out rival Jess Stenson for an old background photo on her X page, showing the two runners after a marathon event (pictured, above)
Australian men's marathon national record-holder Brett Robinson labelled McArthur 'petty' for his online attack
Jess Stenson's (nee Trengove) spot on the team is tipped to be safe, having won Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham two years ago
'@JessTrengove could you please take down your background photo of my family.
'BTW, this was after one of the 7-1 all-time head to head wins by @LisaWeightman,' McArthur wrote in a since-deleted post.
He wasn't finished yet, then publicly thanking Stenson for removing the image which featured the two athletes - plus McArthur and his son.
'Thank you @JessTrengove for taking down the photo. It is much appreciated. We have a heartbroken family here.'
Australian men's marathon national record-holder Brett Robinson labelled McArthur 'petty' for his online conduct, to which McArthur responded: ''I've thanked Jess for taking down the photo.
'I shouldn't have directed my frustrations at her but I really appreciate the photo being taken down. We have a heartbroken family.'
Weightman - a four-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist - is expected to appeal if she is overlooked by selectors.
Stenson's spot is safe, having won Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham two years ago.
Weightman ran the third-fastest time in the qualification period, a 2:23:15 behind Gregson's 2:23:08 and Diver's 2:21:34, but ahead of Izzi Batt-Doyle (2:23:27), Stenson (2:24:01) and Eloise Wellings (2:25:47).
Stenson also competed just six months after having her second child.
Following the ugly online spat, McArthur has since deleted his social media account on X.
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