Guide Vehicle Error Shifts U.S. Half Marathon Finish

In a stunning mishap at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta on Sunday, leading runner Jess McClain and two other top women were directed off course by a guide vehicle with less than two miles remaining, handing an unexpected victory to Molly Born and sparking controversy over the race results.

McClain, a 34-year-old Stanford graduate and veteran U.S. distance runner, held a substantial lead of about 30 seconds over her competitors as the women's race approached the 11th mile. Alongside her were Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat, who had been vying for the top spots. The incident occurred near a pedestrian-only bridge where the course required a straight path. Instead, a media motorcycle or pace vehicle veered left onto the wrong street, prompting the three leaders to follow it instinctively. They ran approximately 400 meters off course before realizing the error, turning back, and rejoining the official route, which cost them more than two minutes.

By the time they crossed the finish line, the race dynamics had shifted dramatically. McClain finished ninth with a time of 1:11:27, while Hurley placed 12th and Kurgat 13th. Born, who had trailed McClain by more than a...