World Athletics has granted the United States three additional, non-scoring entries in the women's half-marathon at the 2024 World Road Running Championships in Copenhagen after a critical course error derailed top contenders during the U.S. national championships.
With two miles remaining in the race, leaders Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, and Ednah Kurgat were mistakenly diverted off course by absent police officers-dispatched to an emergency-costing them podium finishes and automatic qualification.
In an “exceptional decision,” World Athletics approved a one-time expansion of the U.S. team from four to seven athletes. The trio will compete in distinct USA-branded kits but are ineligible for medals, prize money, or team scoring. However, they will earn individual world ranking points.
USATF will field official qualifiers Molly Born, Carrie Ellwood, and Annie Rodenfels as scoring athletes, with a fourth scoring spot pending world rankings. The federation also pledged to cover any prize money the non-scoring runners might have earned had they placed officially.