In a dramatic turn during the women's race at the 2026 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, leader Jess McClain followed a guide vehicle off course, costing her the victory and a world championships spot. Molly Born claimed the win after McClain and two others detoured and finished lower. Officials upheld protests but declined to alter the results, prompting calls for a review.
The 2026 U.S. Half Marathon Championships took place on March 1 in Atlanta, organized by the Atlanta Track Club. In the women's race, Jess McClain of Phoenix, Arizona, held a commanding lead with about 1.5 miles remaining when she, along with Emma Grace Hurley of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Ednah Kurgat of Roswell, Georgia, followed the official lead vehicle off course during mile 11.
McClain described the incident in an Instagram post: “I had to come to a stop, make a tight & complete U-turn & run back onto course as a national championship title & a world team spot slipped away.” The runners detoured approximately one kilometer before correcting their path, leading McClain to finish ninth in 1:11:27, Hurley 12th in 1:11:38, and Kurgat 13th in 1:11:50.
Molly Born of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, crossed the finish line first in 1:09:43, followed by Carrie Ellwood in 1:09:47 and Annie Rodenfels in 1:10:12. Born expressed discomfort with the outcome, telling the Fast Women YouTube channel: “I don’t really feel like the U.S. champion just because of the whole situation that went down at the end.”
Protests filed by the affected runners were upheld, acknowledging that the course was not adequately marked and violated USATF Rule 243, contributing to the misdirection. However, the jury of appeals found no rule allowing changes to the finish order, deeming the posted results final. Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah took full responsibility: “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.”
The top three finishers qualify for the World Road Running Championships on September 20 in Copenhagen, Denmark, along with a $20,000 payout. USATF stated it would review the incident, as the team is not selected until May, aiming for a decision in the best interest of all athletes. McClain, 34, who placed eighth in the 2025 world marathon championships and fourth in last year's U.S. half marathon, urged officials to “make it right” for those impacted.
