This year’s Great North Run will go down in history not just for the 60,000 runners who crossed the finish line in South Shields, but for the finisher medals and T-shirts that somehow depicted the wrong city and river entirely.
Instead of featuring the familiar contours of Newcastle, Gateshead, and the River Tyne, which trace the actual half marathon route, the 2025 medals and merchandise showcased Sunderland and the River Wear, which lie about 12 miles away and have no connection to the event.
The mistake, which spread quickly on social media, sparked a mix of confusion and humor. Some runners noted the medals were even strung with red and white ribbons, matching the colors of Sunderland AFC.
In a lighthearted apology, the Great Run Company posted, “Wear sorry!”, acknowledging the blunder.
The official statement confirmed, “As the eagle-eyed have already spotted, the shape of the river on this year’s finisher T-shirt and 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.”
They added, “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. For the 60,000 who ran yesterday, you’ve got the most unique T-shirt and medal in Great North Run history, a keepsake that we’ll be talking about in 44 years’ time.”
The event’s founder, Sir Brendan Foster, admitted he didn’t catch the mistake either.
“I spent ages marvelling at the designs and never spotted the mistake, even when we hung it in Fenwick’s window,” he said.
“I’ve lived on the River Tyne my whole life and I should have noticed, but if I’d run the Great North Run yesterday, I’d still be wearing my medal with pride. Thanks to everyone who took part in an amazing event yesterday and all the supporters who came out to cheer on the runners. It was a fantastic Great North Run, and we’re already looking forward to 2026, after we’ve brushed up on our geography.”
The Great North Run, now in its 44th year, remains the world’s largest half-marathon, attracting a mix of elite competitors and amateur runners.
This year’s race saw Kenya’s Alex Mutiso take the win in the men’s race, while Sheila Chepkirui, the reigning New York Marathon champion, claimed first in the women’s event. Vivian Cheruiyot finished second, with Britain’s Eilish McColgan rounding out the podium in third.
The medal wasn’t the only snag. Some runners reported not receiving their finisher T-shirts, particularly those looking for larger sizes later in the day.
The organisers acknowledged the issue, stating, “We apologise to those who didn’t get the full experience of receiving their T-shirt at the finish line. We’re communicating directly with these runners to ensure they receive their finisher T-shirt speedily.”
Despite the gaffe, many runners embraced the mistake as part of the day’s story. On social media, several joked that the medals were now rare collectibles. One post read, “At least now we’ve got a collector’s item. Who else can say they ran a Newcastle race and ended up with a Sunderland medal?”
In a race known for its community spirit, charity fundraising, and regional pride, this year’s medals might have taken a geographical wrong turn, but the sentiment at the heart of the event remained intact.
As Sir Brendan Foster put it best, “We’ve been celebrating the region for more than four decades. This year, we just celebrated a bit more of it than usual.”
