Runner Senbere Teferi misses out on win, $7K in prize money after wrong turn at Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta

Teferi won the event in 2022 but fell just short this year after a late error

Runner Senbere Teferi made a wrong turn that cost her $7,000 and back-to-back wins in the Peachtree Road Race, per a report from CBS News. Teferi was leading the Atlanta-based race when she accidentally ran off the course and fell behind two other competitors.

Teferi was following a police motorcycle in the final stretch of the 10k when the vehicle turned, and Teferi followed suit. Unfortunately for Teferi, she should have kept going straight. By the time Teferi realized her mistake, Fotyen Tesfay and Jesca Chelangat passed her to finish in first and second place, respectively.

For finishing third, Teferi received $3,000 in prize money, which is $7,000 less than the $10,000 she would have won if she stayed on the course and finished first. The Peachtree Road Race released a statement after the event in which it took some share of responsibility for the mistake.

"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."

Teferi has represented Ethiopia twice in the Olympic games, and she amassed a gold medal, four silver medals, and one bronze medal at various world championship events throughout her career.