SYDNEY, Australia, May 11- Marathoner Daniel Mwelu was detained after trying to get a packet of his favoured wheat patties through customs ahead of this weekend's Great Ocean Road marathon Australia's Herald Sun reported Wednesday.
Mwelu, 29, bought the patties before departing Nairobi on Monday and had no trouble getting them through the airports at Doha and Saigon.
But he was detained by Australian Customs officers at Tullamarine on Wednesday after failing to declare he was carrying foodstuffs.
Race director John Craven paid the $220 fine.
"They then released him, along with his pancakes," said Craven. "Daniel told me he needed the patties to sustain him in Sunday’s 45.2km marathon from Lorne to Apollo Bay. They’d better!"
Mwelu was surprisingly allowed to keep his snacks. The field for the annual race – which is slightly longer than the traditional marathon of 42.195km – also includes Kenyans Charles Muturi and James Kipkelwon and Australian great Steve Moneghetti.
African runners have won six of the previous seven editions of the annual race.