MONACO (AP) — Three U.S. runners who were mistakenly led off the course by a guide vehicle in the women’s race at the U.S. half marathon championships will be allowed to compete at the world championships in September, the world track and field governing body said on Wednesday.
World Athletics said it made an “exceptional decision” to allow the U.S. to bring seven runners to the event instead of the usual four. However, only four of them will be entered as “scoring athletes,” meaning the other three will not be able to compete for medals or prize money at the world road running championships in Denmark.
World Athletics said it made the decision because of the extraordinary nature of the incident during national qualifying for the event.
Jess McClain was ahead by a wide margin with about 1.5 miles to go on March 2 when she and three other runners followed the guide vehicle on a wrong turn. McClain, who is from Phoenix, ended up finishing ninth. The next two runners who followed her off the course — Emma Hurley of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Ednah Kurgat of Roswell, Georgia — were 12th and 13th, respectively.
“In working to find a solution, World Athletics has been sympathetic to the impacted athletes who would otherwise miss out on competing at the WRRC Copenhagen 2026, and understanding of the unprecedented situation USATF – one our leading Member Federations – has found itself in,” World Athletics said.
It will be up to the USATF to pick which four athletes are entered as scoring athletes, World Athletics said.
USATF said on X that “we are grateful for their collaboration in helping us honor all the athletes involved in this extraordinary situation.”
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