March 3 (Reuters) - Three athletes who were led off course when leading the U.S. half marathon championship will receive compensation after organizers said police assigned to mark out the route had to leave their positions to respond to an emergency call.
The Atlanta Track Club said on Tuesday it will award first-place prize money to Jess McClain, who was comfortably leading the women's race ahead of Ednah Kurgat and Emma Hurley when the guide vehicle took the trio off the main course.
Hurley and Kurgat will split the combined winnings for second and third place as they were shoulder-to-shoulder when they left the race course, it added.
"We are responsible for the integrity of these championships," the club said in a statement.
"We regret that Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were impacted by this incident and were unable to be recognized as the top three finishers reflective of their performance on the course."
USA Track & Field denied an appeal following the incident, despite acknowledging the course was inadequately marked and they said in a statement on Sunday they will also "review the events carefully".
The race served as a qualifier for the 2026 World Road Running Championships, but USATF said selection remained open.
Organisers said race-assigned police personnel were responding to an "officer down" call, with replacement officers unfamiliar with the race's "unusual route" over a footbridge not normally used by cars.
The lead vehicle's driver then followed a police motorcycle off course, believing that the race was being rerouted.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
