OLYMPIC runner Callum Hawkins’s Scottish half-marathon record could be in doubt after data collected from hundreds of runners in the Great Scottish Run suggested the route, normally 13.1 miles, might have been around 200m shorter than the previous year’s course.

Though maybe not a significant distance for most of the tens of thousands taking part in the road race, for club runners and semi-professionals it could means their results don’t count, and would void any records.

On the day, 44 of the top 50 finishers, and 92 out of the top 100, recorded personal bests, or season bests.

Many others also smashed their own targets. Hawkins, who came ninth in the marathon at the Rio Olympics, broke the course record, the Scottish national record for a half-marathon and took the second best overall UK time for a half-marathon. Organisers are set to re-measure the course this month, as is standard practice when a record has been broken, and Hawkins’ new time won’t stand until that process is complete.

Changes to the course in 2015-16 saw a section added at the city’s Pollok Park, but others taken away at Bellahouston Park and Festival Park.

Les Hill, from the Association of Independent UK Course Measurers, who assessed the distance, only measured miles four to 11 this year, the sections on the route where changes were made. The distance for rest of the course was based on previous year’s data, as is normal practice.

Speaking to The National, Hill said he was aware of questions asked over the distance of the run. “It’s to be remeasured and it’s mainly because of the Scottish record, and because lots of people have questioned it,” he said.

Hill continued: “People normally say that course was long because my Garmin [GPS running watch] says 13.2, and my answer to that is because you didn’t take the shortest line, but when it’s going the other way you’ve got to start saying: ‘Yes we need to have a look at this and verify it’.”

He added: “Until it’s re-measured we really don’t know one way or other. Steps are being put into place to make sure it is re-measured. My thoughts would be hopefully it does show that it’s correct.”

Data seen by The National, taken from 461 runners using Garmin GPS watches, gave an average distance of 13.2 miles in 2015.

In 2016, however, data from 460 runners using the same watch suggested the average distance run was 13.07 miles.

The discrepancy is also present in data on online sports site Strava. In 2015 the top 50 runners, who uploaded their GPS findings to that site, appear to have run an average distance of 13.28 in 2015, compared to 12.97 in 2016.

GPS data is not always reliable, as runners tend to run further than the official distance when they go wide on corners and weave about the road, rather than run in a straight line. It is unusual, though, for the data to show a course is shorter than it ought to be.

The Great Run Company, who organise the race and events in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Manchester, and the Great North Run, the biggest half-marathon in the world, told The National they were confident the course was the correct length, and that it was properly measured by an International Athletics Associations Foundations accredited official.

However, the company say they are going to re-measure the course this January, which they say is “in line with protocol in the event of a national or world best being set.”

The re-measurement was due to happen at the end of November, but requires a police escort because it means stopping traffic at certain parts of the route.

Unavailability of officers to assist means this is now due at the end of this month.

There was some confusion during the race when a course map seen by runners ahead of the event didn’t match up to the directions given during the race.

A section crossing the Clyde at the George V bridge, taking runners along Clyde Place and back across the river again on the map, didn’t form part of the course.

Afterwards, organisers posted on Facebook: “After a few questions about the route today we can advise that it was measured by an IAAF certified course measurer and we were issued with a certificate to confirm accuracy. The elite split times were entirely in line with what would have been expected per mile. Unfortunately there was a mistake in a course map that was issued which led to some confusion. Congratulations to everyone who took part today! “ Hawkins crossed the finish line in 60:24, and was the first male Scottish winner since 1983. Even he seem surprised by how quickly he had run the race, telling media: “I was not expecting that. I thought I would be around 62 minutes or something like that,”

He added: “I still can’t believe it. Actually, out on the course, I thought the mile markers had been wrongly placed. It was only close to the finish I really realised when I saw the clock.”

Earlier this year it was discovered that the Greater Manchester Marathon had been 380m too short for three years.

The courses were measured by an Association of UK Course Measurers official on a bicycle fitted with a special counter.

But a “calibration error” meant that 24,000 runners who had taken part in 2013, 2014 and 2015 were just short of actually completely running a marathon.

Scottish Athletics declined to comment and Callum Hawkins could not be reached for comment.