One wrong turn cost a marathon runner big time.
American track star Jess McClain was holding a sizable lead towards the end of Sunday’s U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta when she was led off course by a media vehicle, costing her any chance of winning the event.
McClain was more than an hour into the race and had under two miles left to run when she followed the bike down the wrong street. The athlete ran roughly 400 metres off course, according to Athletics Illustrated, and needed to run a further 400 metres to return to the proper route.
McClain wasn’t the only runner caught up in the confusion, either, as Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat also followed the wrong path.
The error was a massive one, particularly for McClain, who seemed likely to secure the title of U.S. national champion and take home a prize of US$20,000.
Instead, she finished in ninth place while Hurley and Kurgat came in 12th and 13th, respectively.
Rich Kenah, the CEO of Atlanta Track Club which organized the event, took “full responsibility” for the error.
“In the women’s race, a pace vehicle left the official course during Mile 11,” Kenah said in a statement to The Athletic. “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 moving forward.”
Who won the race?
Molly Born ended up winning the race after having been more than a minute behind McClain before the leader’s wrong turn.
Speaking with Fast Women after the race, Born said that she doesn’t “feel like the U.S. champion.”
“It wasn’t my best race,” she said. “The end was pretty crazy. I don’t really feel like the U.S. champion just because of the whole situation that went down at the end.”
She added that she was shocked to cross the finish line first, joking that she thought it was funny that organizers would put tape out for a fourth-place finisher.
Were there any appeals?
While USA Track & Field denied all protests and appeals that were filed after the race, it noted “the event did not meet USATF Rule 243 and that the course was not adequately marked at the point of misdirection.”
It added that “this violation contributed to the misdirection taken by the athletes within the top four at the time of misdirection.
“However, the jury of appeals finds no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish. The results order of finish as posted is considered final.”
McClain had been aiming to score her first career national championship and secure an automatic qualification spot for the world championship.
She does still have a chance at making the worlds, as USATF said that it will “will review the events from Atlanta carefully” when selecting the team in May.
“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,” USTAF said.