English
EspañolDistance Runner Loses Half-Marathon Title and $20,000 Prize After She’s Led Off Course by Officials
Credit: Maddie Meyer/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- The runner leading the U.S. Half Marathon Championships was guided off the race's course less than two miles from the finish line
- Jess McClain finished ninth, while Molly Born — who was more than a minute off McClain's pace — claimed the top spot and won the $20,000 prize
- USA Track and Field's jury of appeals ruled that it found no reason to alter the results to finish
Distance runner Jess McClain was poised to win a crucial race — until she was mistakenly guided off the course.
On Sunday, March 1, McClain was among scores of runners competing in the 2026 U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Atlanta, all vying for a top-three spot to qualify to represent Team USA in Copenhagen later this year.
That goal appeared well within reach for McClain as she approached the last two miles from of the race, The Athletic reported.
As the frontrunner, McClain was following the lead vehicle supplied by the race's host, Atlanta Track Club.
But then the vehicle erroneously veered off the course, and when McClain realized and returned to the established path, she had run an extra 400 meters (about one fourth of a mile).
Credit: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty
McClain arrived at the finish line in ninth place, well behind the race's winner Molly Born — who had been more than a minute off McClain's pace at the time of the error, The Athletic reported. Born was given the $20,000 prize, awarded to the men's and women's winners.
Behind McClain were runners Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat, who had also veered off course. Hurley and Kurgat came in 12th and 13th place, respectively, according to Athletics Illustrated.
Following protestation filings by the impacted athletes, the jury of appeals for USA Track and Field said that it found the half marathon violated a rule that the path should be adequately marked at the point where the lead vehicle and the three runners were misdirected. But the error bears no impact on the results, their statement read.
"However, the jury of appeals finds no recourse within the USATF rulebook to alter the results order of finish. The results order of finish as posted is considered final," the jury of appeals concluded.
Runners are responsible for knowing the course, The Athletic reported, citing the race's rules.
USATF emphasized that Atlanta Track Club was charged with supplying and managing the lead vehicles. In its own statement, also released March 1, track club CEO Rich Kenah claimed "full responsibility" for the error.
Credit: Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty
"Athletes should never have to make a split-second decision between following a pace vehicle or trusting the official course," Kenah stated, adding, "Atlanta Track Club will make best efforts to ensure the affected athletes — Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley and Ednah Kurgat — are made whole."
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Both Atlanta Track Club and USATF are reviewing the events of the half marathon, each organization's statement said.
The final selection for runners representing Team USA in Copenhagen will not officially take place until May, USATF stated. McClain previously represented the United States last year in the World Championship Marathon in Tokyo, where she finished in eighth place.
Read the original article on People
Why Lions and Texans agreed to trade for running back David Montgomery
The Houston TExans and Detroit Lions have agreed to a trade involving David Montgomery. Here's why the two sides decided to pull off this deal.
Detroit Lions Trade David Montgomery
The Detroit Lions have officially made a move at running back.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Lions are trading veteran RB David Montgomery to the Houston Texans for a 5th Round Pick, sources told The Insiders.
The move comes just days after reports surfaced suggesting Montgomery “wanted out” of Detroit, a claim Montgomery publicly questioned on social media. Now, the situation has been resolved with a deal that sends the physical, downhill runner to Houston.
Why the Lions Made the Move
From Detroit’s perspective, the timing makes sense:
- Jahmyr Gibbs has clearly become the focal point of the offense
- His contract carried a notable cap hit for a reduced role
- The Lions are continuing to reshape the roster around their core
Trading Montgomery clears both cap space and snaps, allowing Detroit to fully lean into Gibbs while exploring cheaper depth options behind him.
What Houston Is Getting
For the Texans, Montgomery brings:
- Proven early-down and goal-line production
- Pass protection reliability
- Veteran leadership for a young offense
Houston adds a back who can immediately stabilize its run game and complement its existing skill talent.
The Bottom Line
David Montgomery was a key part of Detroit’s rise over the past few seasons, providing toughness and reliability during the Lions’ turnaround. But the NFL moves fast, and this trade signals Detroit’s full commitment to its new offensive identity.
More details to come as this story develops.
The post Detroit Lions Trade David Montgomery appeared first on Detroit Sports Nation.
I(O)U: Cignetti’s Revised Indiana Deal to Pay Over $100M Guaranteed
The market has spoken for Curt Cignetti.
The University of Indiana has committed to pay its national championship-winning head football coach $105.6 million over the next eight seasons, according to a letter signed by athletic director Scott Dolson and released Monday.
Cignetti’s existing employment agreement called for a “good-faith market review” if IU reached the College Football Playoff semifinal—which it did in January on the way to winning its first national title in school history.
Under the revised deal, Cignetti will earn $13.025 million in guaranteed compensation this coming season, with annual raises of $50,000 through Nov. 30, 2033. Before incentives, that would make him the second-highest-paid coach in college football this year, behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart and just ahead of LSU’s Lane Kiffin.
Cignetti’s raise represents a roughly 54% increase from the $8.5 million guaranteed salary the coach was set to earn this year under the contract he signed back in November 2024. All other terms remain in effect.
As such, if Cignetti is fired without cause, Indiana must pay the full remaining guaranteed tab, based on a provision triggered once his team appeared in the Big Ten championship or College Football Playoff.
Should the Hoosiers replicate last season’s success, Cignetti would easily clear $15 million.
And if that’s not enough to get him through the week, the contract also includes a $25,000 annual courtesy car allowance, free meals at the athletic dining facility and unlimited family use of the Pfau Golf Course and driving range in Bloomingdale, Ind., “including green fees, cart fees and range balls.”
Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
The Throne National Championship teams, schedule, TV times
The Throne national basketball tournament is set for its fourth annual games. From March 19 to March 21, the premier postseason event will take place in East Rutherford, New Jersey, pitting 16 of the top high school basketball teams in a single-elimination tournament.
Eight boys teams and eight girls teams will play for their respective crowns in March Madness-style brackets at American Dream Mall, put on by the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Gold Level Sports and Entertainment (GLSE). The teams will play under a club program name rather than the high school name itself, but all students on each team attend the stated high school, the Throne's press release said.
Games will be aired on NBA TV and the NBA App.
The NBPA Foundation will donate $25,000 to the athletic program of both championship-winning teams.
Here are the teams, tournament club names, seedings and schedule, with USA TODAY Sports Super 25 national rankings listed, where applicable (rankings as of March 2).
The Throne Rosters
Boys high school basketball teams
- Calvary Christian (Fort Lauderdale, FL) — Eagles (No. 4 in Super 25)
- Sunnyslope (Phoenix) — Vikings (No. 5)
- Rainier Beach (Seattle) — Beach (No. 21)
- Wheeler (Marietta, GA) — Wildcats
- Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, NY) — LuHi
- Bergen Catholic (Oradell, NJ) — BC Crusaders
- Columbus (Miami, FL) — Los Explorers
- Heritage (Frisco, Texas) — Coyotes
Girls high school basketball teams
- Etiwanda (CA) — Eagles
- Princess Anne (Virginia Beach, VA) — Cavaliers
- Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, NY) — LuHi
- St. John Vianney (Holmdel, NJ) — Lancers
- Tualatin (OR) — Timberwolves
- St John’s College (Washington, D.C) — Cadets
- Friends Central (Wynnewood, PA) — Phoenix
- St Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) — Panthers
The Throne Schedule
Girls: March 19
- Game 1 (10:00 a.m.): (2) Cavaliers vs. (7) Phoenix
- Game 2 (11:40 a.m.): (3) LuHi vs. (6) Cadets
- Game 3 (1:20 p.m.): (1) Eagles vs. (8) Panthers
- Game 4 (3:00 p.m.): (4) Lancers vs. (5) Timberwolves
Boys: March 19
- Game 5 (4:40 p.m.): (1) Eagles vs. (8) Coyotes
- Game 6 (6:20 p.m.): (4) Wildcats vs. (5) LuHi
- Game 7 (8:00 p.m.): (3) Beach vs. (6) BC Crusaders
- Game 8: (9:40 p.m.): (2) Vikings vs. (7) Los Explorers
Girls bracket: March 20
- Game 9 (3:00 p.m.): Winner Game 1 vs. Game 2
- Game 10 (5:00 p.m.): Winner Game 3 vs. Game 4
Boys bracket: March 20
- Game 11: (7:00 p.m.): Winner Game 7 vs. Game 8
- Game 12 (9:00 p.m.): Winner Game 5 vs. Game 6
Girls Championship: March 21
- Game 13 (1:00 p.m.)
Boys Championship: March 21
- Game 14 (3:00 p.m.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: See the full schedule for The Throne National Championship