WORLD’S FAVOURITE RUN

GREAT North Run organisers are hoping to build on a recordbreaking achievement at this year’s event of the world’s biggest half marathon.

Last time, the Great World Run scheme saw runners from 178 of the 193 UN-recognised nations represented on the start line in Newcastle.

This remarkable achievement led to then-UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon sending a personal message of support to event organisers and the 57,000 entrants, calling the run a “true celebration of humanity”.

This year, event organisers The Great Run Company are looking to set the bar even higher.

There are already runners from more than 100 nations signed up for the 2017 staging of the Great North Run, taking place on September 10, including the tiny South Pacific island nation of Palau.

But The Great Run Company are seeking the support of the region and the worldwide running community in an attempt to recruit even more of the smaller nations to get involved.

Brendan Foster, chairman of The Great Run Company, said: “Last year’s Great North Run was a true celebration of runners from all around the world. That so many of our Great World Run participants still stay in touch underlines the spirit of togetherness that was achieved.

“We’re looking forward to trying this again in 2017 and we hope that we can bring in many more people from across the globe in this celebration of running that reinforces our position as the World’s Favourite Run.”

For more information on the Great World Run initiative and to find out which countries are yet to be represented, visit www.greatrun.org/gnrworldrun