According to an announcement from the organizer, the Atlanta Track Club (ATC), the incident stemmed from an accident near the racecourse. About 13 minutes before the lead pack reached an intersection approximately 1,6 km from the finish line, a police officer on duty for the event was struck by a car one block from the race route.

Police officers controlling traffic for the race left their posts to assist their injured colleague, leaving several intersections temporarily unregulated. In this situation, the lead vehicle driver misunderstood that the route had changed and followed another police car off the main racecourse.

Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat were all affected by the incident at the 2026 U.S. half marathon on 1/3. Photo: Instagram / jesstonn

Consequently, the three leading female athletes – Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat – were misdirected just as the race was nearing its end. The incident prevented all three from finishing among the podium contenders.

“We are responsible for the integrity of these championships,” the ATC stated in a press release on 4/3. The organizers expressed regret that the three athletes did not receive recognition for their performance on the course.

The ATC announced it would pay prize money equivalent to the results they should have achieved. Specifically, McClain will receive USD 20,000 for the championship position, while Hurley and Kurgat, who were running neck-and-neck at the time, will split the total prize money for second and third place, USD 12,000 and USD 7,500 respectively.

The injured police officer was taken to the hospital and discharged on the same day of the incident.

Molly Born was not happy despite crossing the finish line first. Photo: Kevin Morris

USA Track & Field (USATF) welcomed the organizers’ decision to compensate with prize money but stated it is still seeking a solution for selecting the U.S. team for the 2026 World Road Running Championships.

The three official podium finishers after the incident were Molly Born, Carrie Ellwood, and Annie Rodenfels. However, all three posted on their personal Instagram accounts that they do not intend to accept spots on the national team, hoping the opportunity will be offered to those affected.

“If I am offered a spot for the world championships in Copenhagen, I will not accept it, because I did not earn it fairly,” Born wrote.

According to USATF selection rules, the first three finishers would earn spots for the world championships if they accept, and the list could extend to the fifth-place finisher. However, since the three misdirected athletes officially finished 9th, 12th, and 13th, the federation stated it might need to consider flexibility given this exceptional circumstance.

By Hong Duy (via Canadian Running Magazine)