Great North Run organisers issue apology after embarrassing mix-up on medals

Organisers of the Great North Run have said “Wear sorry!” after mistakenly featuring a map of Sunderland on thousands of finishers’ T-shirts and medals instead of the city’s great rivals on Tyneside.

More than 60,000 runners took part in the 13.1 mile route from Newcastle to South Shields on Sunday, cheered on by up to 200,000 supporters. But Tyneside loyalists took to social media to voice their shock that the map forming the background to the finishers’ medal was of the River Wear snaking through their traditional rival city of Sunderland.

On Monday, organisers admitted their mistake and dispelled cheeky rumours that it was a hint they plan to take the run further south next year. They said in a statement: “Wear sorry! 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.

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“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.”

The statement 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. 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.”

Founder and president of the Great North Run Sir Brendan Foster said: “I loved the designs for the medal and T-shirt, spent ages marvelling at them, and never spotted the mistake, even when we hung it in Fenwick’s window.

“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.

“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.”