Elite runner Senbere Teferi was just meters away from winning the Peachtree Road Race title in Atlanta once again – before taking a wrong turn that cost her the $10,000 grand prize.
On Tuesday, the Ethiopian runner was leading the annual 10-kilometer race, with two other runners from the women’s elite division behind her in the final stretch. Video shows Teferi was following the lead police vehicle, which took a right turn and she continued to run in back of it – a crucial mishap that cost her the race.
Fotyen Tesfay crossed the finish line first and Jesca Chelangat got second place. Teferi, who won the race last year, took third with a time of 30 minutes and 47 seconds – just four seconds from Tesfay’s time of 30 minutes and 43 seconds. Instead of the top prize of $10,000, Tesfay walked away with $3,000.
Organizers of the race said in a statement posted to Twitter that the two-time Olympian “momentarily became confused and followed a police motorcycle when it turned off the course.”
“She was within sight of the finish banner, but we understand that in the heat of competition instructions can be misinterpreted,” race organizers said. “As an organization, we are disappointed whenever we fall short of perfection, and in this case, it appears we did.”
The Peachtree Road Race is considered the world’s largest 10K running event, according to race organizers. The race had approximately 50,000 participants this year.