Runner Loses $7,000 Due to Wrong Turn Meters Before Race Finish

The mistake proved costly for the defending champion of Atlanta’s Peachtree Road Race.

A wrong turn just prior to the finish line wound up costing a runner thousands of dollars on July 4th in Atlanta.

Senbere Teferi, the defending Peachtree Road Race champion, was leading the 10-kilometer race mere meters from the finish line but was led astray after following a police motorcycle that took a right turn off the course.

As a result, she finished third instead of winning the annual race. She won $3,000 instead of the winner’s prize of $10,000.

“As our defending champion, Senbere Teferi, was approaching the finish line, it looks like she 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. As an organization, we are disappointed whenever we fall short of perfection, and in this case, it appears we did,” the AJC Peachtree Road Race tweeted.

10K mistake costs 7K: Peachtree Road Race leader Senbere Teferi accidentally followed the motorcycle cop off the course right before the finish line! She ended up 3rd, costing here 7 grand in prize money. She knows the course, she won the race last year.
📽️ @11AliveNews @ajcprr pic.twitter.com/zAkP1BhFOR

— Cody Chaffins (@CodyChaffins) July 4, 2023

The costly mistake enabled Fotyen Tesfay to cross the finish line in first place with a time of 30 minutes, 43 seconds. Teferi finished four seconds behind Tesfay after realizing her mistake.

The 54th edition of the Peachtree Road Race will be a memorable one for the wrong reason. Or should we say the wrong turn?