This is the 2025 New York Marathon medal: the surprising detail

The New York Marathon organization presented the medal that runners will receive in 2025.

Foto: NYCMARATHON

The New York Road Runners (NYRR) organization presented the official medal of the 2025 New York Marathon during an event held this week at the NYRR Run Center in Manhattan.The piece will be delivered to the more than 50,000 runners who cross the finish line on November 2, when the 54th edition of the race takes place.

The presentation event was attended by representatives of the organization, sponsors and some already registered athletes. During the announcement, the design, materials and logistical details related to the production and distribution of the medals were explained. According to NYRR, the 2025 design maintains the traditional elements that identify the city: the five boroughs – Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Manhattan – are represented in relief, along with the official logo of the race.

The medal was made from a standard metal alloy for international competitions. On the back it includes a space to record the name and time of the runner, a service that can be performed during “Marathon Monday” and in the days after the competition. This engraving will have an additional cost and seeks to offer finalists an immediate customization option.

The organizing committee explained that the unveiling of the medal is part of the calendar of pre-race activities. Each year, this presentation seeks to generate expectation among the runners and reinforce the emotional connection that crossing the finish line and receiving the medal represents. The logistics for its distribution are already defined: all finish stations will have enough units, stored in sealed containers to avoid deterioration or humidity. Although the total number of manufactured parts was not revealed, NYRR assured that there will be backup inventory in case of possible unforeseen events.

The event also included information about the experience program for runners, sponsored by the event's partner brands. Images of the medal will be used in upcoming digital campaigns and promotional materials for the marathon.

The 2025 edition arrives amid high expectations for the level of the confirmed athletes. Among them are Olympic champions Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan, who top the list of elite runners. With its participation, the New York Marathon consolidates its position within the Abbott World Marathon Majors circuit, which brings together the six major marathons in the world.

In addition to its symbolic value, the medal has a practical role within the NYRR participation system. Runners who complete the test obtain credits for the “9+1” program, which guarantees direct access to future editions. This benefit makes the medal a recognition with additional value for local and international participants.

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Historical and logistical curiosities

The New York Marathon medals accumulate several curiosities throughout their history. At the NYRR Run Center there is an exhibition wall that preserves pieces from different decades, including those corresponding to special years like 2012, when the race was canceled by Hurricane Sandy, but the medals were still manufactured and distributed to registered runners.

A distinctive feature is the custom engraving service. For years, NYRR has offered the ability to add the runner's name and finishing time. In 2024, the service cost $28 and was provided during “Marathon Monday”—the day after the race—and for the two days afterward. By 2025, the procedure will remain in the same format.

There is also a virtual version of the marathon, where remote runners receive a digital medal and commemorative keychain. Although this participation does not grant the same credits as the in-person event, it allows thousands of fans to join the global experience from anywhere in the world.

Another relevant fact is that runners who cross the finish line after the established time limit—10:00 pm local time—do not appear in the official results, but do receive the finisher's medal. This gesture seeks to recognize the efforts of all participants, regardless of their competitive performance.

The medal is also connected to the prestigious “Six Star Medal”, the award given by Abbott World Marathon Majors to those who complete the six great marathons in the world: Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York. For many runners, receiving the New York medal represents the final step toward that international distinction.

In terms of design, the tradition is maintained: each edition includes visual references to the five districts through which the route passes. This iconography has been constant in the recent medals, along with elements alluding to the urban silhouette of the city and the emblematic bridges that the runners cross during the course.

Delivery logistics is another aspect that NYRR takes careful care of. The medals are transported in airtight containers from the storage point to the finish line in Central Park. Each station has designated personnel for orderly distribution, as well as trained volunteers to assist runners in the recovery area.

Finally, the organization remembers that the medal has a deep symbolic value within the journey of each runner. It represents the tangible closure of months of preparation, effort and discipline, but it also becomes a physical record of participation in one of the most important sporting events on the world calendar.

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