General · 2 March 2026
Lead vehicle guides runners off course, McClain loses $20,000.
The US Half Marathon Championship in Atlanta ended in disarray when the lead vehicle guided top runners off course with less than two miles remaining. Jess McClain, who held a significant lead, finished ninth, missing out on the $20,000 prize. USA Track & Field denied an appeal, acknowledging inadequate course marking but found no rule to change the results. The event served as a qualifier for the 2026 World Road Running Championships.
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