Elite competitive runner Senbere Terferi was on her way to her second consecutive victory in the annual Fourth of July Peachtree Road Race on Tuesday afternoon when she made a horrible mistake that cost her the win and thousands of dollars in prize money.
Senbere Terferi was leading the 10-kilometer race just a few meters before the finish line and appeared to be heading toward her second consecutive victory in the annual race. But then, she took a right turn off the track that ultimately cost her the victory.
Terferi was following the motorcycle leading the way throughout the race. However, the motorcycle turned off the road just before the finish line, and Terferi did not realize the runners were supposed to go straight instead of follow the motorcycle.
A heartbreaking situation today as Senbere Terferi takes the wrong turn meters from the finish line of the Peachtree Road Race. It cost her a 2nd consecutive win in the Atlanta 10K. pic.twitter.com/qcwFIVCqej
— Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) July 4, 2023
When Terferi turned off the track, fellow runner Fotyen Tesfay kept going straight ahead and went on to finish in first place. Teferi quickly realized her mistake, but it was too late. She ended up in third, four seconds behind Tesfay.
“I was really upset by Senbere’s mistake because she was in the front and she was leading, but she took that last turn,” she said after the race. “I saw the finish line. At first I thought they didn’t really show us that well yesterday where the finish was. But after I saw that car turn, I saw the finish sign in front of me, so I pushed ahead. But I was really upset because I really planned to stick with Senbere at the finish.”
The mistake ultimately cost Terferi $7,000 as the winner of the race earns $10,000, while second place receives $5,000 and third place gets $3,000.
