Great North Run unveils prestigious World Athletics heritage plaque on 43rd Birthday

On Friday the Great Run company celebrated the Great North Run’s 43rd birthday and unveiling of the prestigious World Athletics Heritage Plaque the Great North Run was awarded at the start of this year.

The team were joined by Founder and President of The Great Run Company, Sir Brendan Foster, and Cherry Alexander, Vice President of European Athletics, as well as special guests from Great North Run’s history to unveil the prestigious World Athletics Heritage Plaque.

These including the first male winner from 1981, Mike McLeod, and the millionth finisher from 2014, Tracey Crammond.  

To mark the day, Great Run invited runners from the race’s past and present to join them for a 4k shakeout run along the Quayside, before finishing back at the company offices for some birthday cake.

Runners were given a commemorative t-shirt and the run was led by local running group Hii RunClub with 100 runners joining the celebratory shakeout run.

Initially awarded to the Great North Run back in February, the World Athletics heritage plaque is in recognition of ‘an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport.’

Stay up to date with the Shields Gazette’s latest headlines and get a newsletter delivered to your inbox

Sir Brendan Foster, Founder and President of The Great Run Company, said: “This accolade is only awarded to truly great athletes, stadia and events, and so we are profoundly honoured that the Great North Run is now among this select group.  

“It’s recognition of 40+ years dedication to making it a truly world class event that stands apart from all others.  Along the way we have welcomed the sport’s greatest athletes alongside over 1.25m runners. 

“We captured the imagination of our runners and the North East region, who year on year join us to do something extraordinary - raising an estimated £25 million in charitable donations.

“60,000 runners take part in the Great North Run each year, travelling from every UK postcode and across the globe, and our attention is set on delivering another spectacular event on Sunday, September 8.”  

The Great North Run is the only half marathon to receive the accolade and is in the company of the Berlin, Boston and London Marathons.