Atlanta Track Club offers to pay top three prize money to the affected athletes – Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat – after incident in Sunday’s race.
Atlanta Track Club say confusion at the USATF Half Marathon Championships on Sunday (March 1) in Atlanta was caused by a police officer who was assigned to the race being struck by a car close to the intersection where women’s race leaders Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat went off course.
McClain, 34, was enjoying a clear lead as the race entered the closing stages but after being misdirected she lost around two minutes and wound up ninth, losing the $20,000 first prize too.
With selection for the World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen at stake, Molly Born ended up taking the win and the national title in 69:42.
However, organisers say they will pay McClain the money, in addition to awarding Hurley and Kurgat a joint runner-up prize of $9750 each, after explaining that the mishap was triggered by a nearby road accident involving a police officer.
The accident led to officers responding to the news that an officer was down, leaving several race intersections briefly unattended, including the one where the athletes subsequently went off course.
In the confusion and with some cones on the course having been moved, the driver of the lead vehicle believed the race was being rerouted and followed a police motorbike in the wrong direction.
Atlanta Track Club said: “Atlanta Track Club’s position remains unchanged: We are responsible for the integrity of these championships. We regret that Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were impacted by this incident and were unable to be recognized as the top three finishers reflective of their performance on the course.
“Atlanta Track Club has offered to match the prize money as follows: McClain to receive the equivalent of first-place prize money. Hurley and Kurgat will split the combined total of second- and- third-place prize money because they were shoulder-to-shoulder when they left the race course.
“Atlanta Track Club also recognises and appreciates the swift and professional response of law enforcement, who prioritised the safety of both the injured officer and the more than 11,000 participants on the course.
“The Fulton County Sheriff’s officer involved in the emergency incident was working for the race and had been on a motorcycle. He was transported to Grady Hospital and released later that day.”
USATF said: “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.”