There was huge controversy at the women’s US Half Marathon Championship race in Atlanta over the weekend when an official pace car led the three leading runners the wrong way, causing them all to miss out on the chance of a podium finish.
Jess McClain was running comfortably at the front of the pack, closely pursued by Ednah Kurgat and Emma Hurley with only one and a half miles remaining. However, they were then guided off course as they wrongly followed the vehicle, and by the time they realised what had happened, it was too late.
Instead, a puzzled-looking Molly Born crossed the line in a time of 1:09:42, ahead of Carrie Ellwood and Annie Rodenfels. McClain, Hurley and Kurgat, clearly frustrated by the incident, came in 11th, 12th and 13th, respectively.
‘Not adequately marked’
As well as acting as a qualifier for the USA team at the World Road Running Championships in September, the winner also claimed a cheque for $20,000.
USA Track and Field (USATF) confirmed that a protest was lodged by the athletes who had clearly been the victims of a terrible error by the race official, but it added that the jury of appeals found that while ‘the course was not adequately marked at the point of misdirection’, there was ‘no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish’.
It added: “This race was a selection event for the 2026 World Road Running Championships. That team is not officially selected until May. USATF will review the events from Atlanta carefully. While we understand athletes are eager to resolve this issue expeditiously, our process will ensure an ultimate decision is in the best interest of all the athletes involved.”
McClain, posting on her Instagram account in the aftermath of the race, said: “This truly sucks for everyone involved. No one wants this outcome, ever. Mistakes happen & I am sure those who were leading us feel terrible about the outcome. I just hate that the athletes are ALWAYS the ones who pay the price (literally $$$)… time & time again.”
‘I thought I was on my way to becoming national champion’
She also explained in more detail what had happened.
“I was making my way into what I thought was the final mile of the @usatf Half Marathon Championships when I followed a police escort motorcycle, the official lead vehicle & a media motorcycle off course for ~1,000m. I had to come to a stop, make a tight & complete u-turn & run back onto the course as a national championship title & a world team spot slipped away.
“I’m going to try my hardest to walk away from this weekend remembering the joy I felt in those moments where I thought I was on my way to becoming a national champion & finally make Team USA outright.”
Kurgat also posted her feelings, saying: “The final stretch of our race became a heartbreaking moment. We train so hard and look forward to making teams that create unforgettable memories. Despite the disappointment, I’m still holding on to hope that we’ll make it to Copenhagen for the World Road Running Championships.”
And Hurley added: “Last year, after making the team for the 2025 World Road Running Championships, the event was cancelled. The hardest part for me was that there was nothing I could have done differently to have a different outcome.
“A year later, we were led (significantly) off course late in the race, and there wasn’t enough time to have the opportunity to fight our way back into contention. Again, the hardest thing for me is that there is nothing I could have done differently to change the outcome.
No silver lining
“The silver lining of falling short of your goals is the opportunity to learn, and the three of us don’t even really have that feedback today.”
Race director and Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah accepted full responsibility for the incident and says future safeguards will be put in place to ensure such errors do not happen again.
“In the women’s race, a pace vehicle left the official course during Mile 11. As race director, I take full responsibility for what occurred. Athletes should never have to make a split-second decision between following a pace vehicle or trusting the official course.
“We are conducting a full review to determine exactly how and why the vehicle left the course to strengthen safeguards going forward.”
