PG Applympics 2012: Medal ceremony for the running event

After five dramatic days of top-level voting in the running event at the inaugural PG Applympics, the proverbial whistle has blown and the competition has now closed.

All of the votes have been counted and verified by an independent adjudicator (Facebook) this morning. The results were then passed to me in a gold envelope by a rather imposing security van driver just moments ago.

Before I reveal the winner and runners-up in the running category at PG Applympics 2012, a word from our sponsor. Only kidding. We aren't THAT cynical.

But, seriously, we must take a moment to remember that Baron de Bennallack founded the PG Applympics to promote his philosophical ideal for video gaming competition. He expressed this ideal, thus:

"The important thing in life is the triumph, not the struggle. The essential thing is to have conquered, not to just fight well."

In more prosaic terms: "It's not the taking part that counts, it's the winning."

So, with this noble philosophical ideal ringing in our collective ears, let's cross live to this year's first award ceremony at Kelston Park, Bath.

PG deputy editor Will Wilson should be standing by in front of the rostrum to present your three most popular endless-runners with their respective medals…
Canabalt - With a whopping great 27 per cent of all votes cast, Semi Secret Software's not-so-secret endless-running weapon stormed to victory on the freshly laid Bath racetrack.

Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake have got nothing on the Texas-based indie studio's jet-heeled sprinter.

QWOP - In silver medal spot with 18 per cent of the popular vote is QWOP, Foddy's wildly amusing yet insanely difficult micromanagement title.

Relearn how to walk - and run - from the ground up in this inventive athletics sim from Australia-born developer Bennett Foddy. Good on ya, cobber.

Mega Run - On your marks… Get Set… bronze! Ahem. Little private joke there. Anyway, the hero of Get Set Games's Mega Run adventure, Redford, is living (well, virtual) proof that folks with a high body fat percentage can enjoy sports, too, you know.

Bronze medal to the red blob, then, who can't stop jumping. For joy, presumably.