The organisers of the Great North Run have issued an apology after participants spotted a glaring error on this year’s medals.
On Sunday, 60,000 runners took on the half-marathon route from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields – but the 2025 medal features a mislabelled map of Sunderland and the River Wear.
One person who spotted the mistake wrote on X: “Beautiful as it is, I can’t help but think this year’s Great North Run medal would be more appropriate with a map of Tyneside on it, rather than the streets of Wearside and The Stadium of Light.”
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The wrong city is also featured on this year’s Great North Run T-shirts.
A quick glance at maps of the two cities confirms the error and the run’s organisers, Great Run, have now said “Wear sorry!” in a statement issued to Sky News.
Image:
The annual run takes place in Newcastle… Pic: Google Maps
Image:
… but this year’s medal clearly uses a map of Sunderland. Pic: Google Maps
The statement said: “As the eagle-eyed have already spotted, the shape of the river on this year’s finisher t-shirt & medal is indeed the River Wear.
“To answer the rumours that this was the route reveal for next year… sorry to disappoint, it’s a mistake. Lots of people looked very closely at the designs and none of us picked it up.”
It continued: “We had Newcastle United stars on the start line and the Stadium of Light on the medal. The Great North Run is truly a celebration of the region, even more so than we had planned.
Image:
The women’s race saw Sheila Chepkirui (centre) come first, Vivian Cheruiyot (left) second, and Eilish McColgan (right) third. Pic: PA
“For the 60,000 who ran yesterday, you’ve got the most unique t-shirt & medal in Great North Run history, a keepsake that we’ll be talking about in 44 years’ time.”
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The run’s founder, Sir Brendan Foster, added that he “spent ages marvelling at” the designs for this year’s medal and T-shirt “and never spotted the mistake”.
“I’ve lived on the River Tyne my whole life and I should’ve noticed, but if I’d run the Great North Run yesterday, I’d still be wearing my medal with pride,” he said.
“We’re already looking forward to 2026, after we’ve brushed up on our geography.”
Kenyan Alex Mutiso won the men’s event with his compatriot Sheila Chepkirui taking the first spot in the women’s race, with Briton Eilish McColgan coming third.