Running coach reports racist abuse at Great North Run
Running coach Emma Kirk-Odunubi says she was racially abused by a section of spectators during the Great North Run on Sunday, 13 September.
She says the alleged incident happened at about the nine-mile mark. That is late in the 13.1-mile half-marathon route from Newcastle to South Shields. The distance is 13 miles and 385 yards, run on open roads lined with crowds.
Kirk-Odunubi alleges spectators beside a roundabout shouted "Protect our kids. Protect our England." and booed her. The account was reported by BBC Sport. She has described the experience as targeted abuse during the race itself.
The 2026 race was the 45th staging of the AJ Bell Great North Run, according to Great Run. It took place on Sunday, 13 September. An estimated 63,000 runners took part, from club athletes to charity fundraisers to elite fields sharing the same road.
The event was broadcast live on BBC One in the United Kingdom. England footballer and Newcastle United club captain Dan Burn was the official starter.
Kirk-Odunubi said organisers of the Great North Run had contacted her and that discussions were ongoing. A spokesperson for the event said organisers were "shocked and saddened" by the incident and do not condone behaviour of this nature.
What makes this stand out is the nature of road racing. Runners spend more than an hour within a few feet of spectators. You hear every shout. Support can lift a tired athlete. Hostility lands just as directly.
For anyone new to the sport, the shock is easy to grasp. Runners wear their first name on their number. Strangers shout it back. Children hold out hands for high fives. To hear boos in that space reverses the deal.
For now this remains an allegation made by the runner. No finding has been announced. Care matters here. The words alleged, the response given, and any further action sit in separate boxes.
The Great North Run depends on that roadside closeness. It is why many runners return each autumn. The account has drawn attention because of the size of the crowd involved. No next steps have been made public, and organisers say talks with Kirk-Odunubi continue.
