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Jess McClain is a decorated American runner who has reached the podium in several events during her career and was looking for a victory at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta this weekend.
McClain led the race with about two miles to go. But her run was diverted because she was driven out of the way by a media vehicle, according to Athletics Illustrated. McClain allegedly followed the media vehicle, a police motorcycle and a motorcycle equipped with a camera.
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Jessica McClain (USA) placed eighth in the women’s marathon in 2:28:32 at the World Athletics Championships at the National Stadium on September 14, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat were all evicted. By the time they got back on track, McClain’s lead was gone.
She finished in ninth place while Hurley and Kurgat finished 12th and 13th, respectively.
Atlanta Track Club CEO Rich Kenah took responsibility for the mistake.
Jessica McClain placed fourth among women in 2:25:46 at the U.S. Olympic Marathon Team Trials on February 3, 2024. (Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports)
“In the women’s race, a pace vehicle left the official course at kilometer 11,” he said in a statement to The Athletic. “As race director, I take full responsibility for what happened. Athletes should never have to make a split-second decision between following a pace vehicle or trusting the official course.
“We are conducting a full review to determine exactly how and why the vehicle left the course in order to strengthen safety measures in the future.”
US Track and Field (USATF) said it would review the events “carefully” as the team for the World Road Racing Championships has not been selected. The organization said the protests were dismissed and an appeals panel found that “the event did not comply with USATF Rule 243 and the course was not properly marked at the point of misdirection. This violation contributed to the misdirection taken by the top four athletes at the time of the misdirection.”
“However, the appeal panel finds no recourse in the USATF rules to change the order of arrival of the results. The order of arrival of the results as displayed is considered final.”
Emily Infield (left) is congratulated by Jessica McClain after winning the women’s 10,000m in 31:43.56 during the USATF Championships at Hayward Field on July 31, 2025. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
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McClain finished fourth at the 2025 Half Marathon Championships and eighth at the World Athletics Championships.
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