US Half-Marathon Athletes to Receive Compensation After Being Led Off Course

By Eppe Franklyne

• Three athletes—Jess McClain, Ednah Kurgat, and Emma Hurley—were led off course while leading the U.S. half-marathon championship.
• The Atlanta Track Club said police marking the route had to leave their positions to respond to an emergency.
• McClain will receive first-place prize money; Kurgat and Hurley will split second- and third-place winnings.
• USA Track & Field denied an appeal but will review the incident and acknowledged the course was inadequately marked.
• The error occurred when replacement police officers unfamiliar with the route and the lead vehicle followed a police motorcycle off course.

Jess McClain, Ednah Kurgat, and Emma Hurley were affected when a guide vehicle led them off the main course during the U.S. half-marathon championship.

The Atlanta Track Club said the disruption happened because race-assigned police had to respond to an emergency, leaving replacement officers unfamiliar with the course.

McClain will receive the first-place prize money, while Kurgat and Hurley will split the combined second- and third-place earnings.

“We are responsible for the integrity of these championships,” the club said. “We regret that Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were impacted by this incident and were unable to be recognised as the top three finishers reflective of their performance on the course.”

USA Track & Field confirmed the course was inadequately marked but denied an appeal, saying it will “review the events carefully.”