Worthing 10k boycott after bosses backtrack on medal offer

Dozens of Worthing 10k finishers went without medals this year after bosses didn't order enough for everyone. Those who missed out were promised to be "fully looked after" including free entry to the 2024 race and a medal shipped out in the post.

But they have since backtracked on the offer leaving runners furious and planning to boycott the race.

The Worthing 10k finish line (Image: Newsquest)

Avid runner Kat Champan said she was "gobsmacked" at the decision to not honour the offer.

"You don't promise that you will do something and then go back on it. They put it in writing. It needs to happen," she said.

Kat in her Foxy Ladies t-shirt (Image: Kat Chapman)

The 44-year-old took up running during the first Covid-19 lockdown and joined the Foxy Ladies run club in Worthing.

Kat, who is now training for a half marathon, said: "I had a stage five kidney failure and am on dialysis four times a week. It's a way to keep fit when I'm not having treatment."

The finish line at the 2022 race (Image: Newsquest)

The race on June 4 was the second time she had run at the event.

She said: "I was running with one of my friends, Claire, who had never done a 10k before and she was struggling towards the end.

"I kept saying 'Just think about how you'll feel when you get that medal around your neck', but when we finished they had no medals.

"The steward told us they had run out. Claire was crushed."

Avid runner Kat isn't happy (Image: Kat Chapman)

Kat, an HR administrator from Worthing, said she has had "so many excuses" from Worthing 10k and owners Runbase Events, who are now offering just a 50 per cent discount to the race.

"It has left a bitter taste in our mouths, really. They said they would send a discount code out with their medal, but when I got this there was no discount code.

Read more: Anger as race bosses run out of medals and dish out children's awards instead

"They came back to me and said oh, we are not doing the free place - but only 50 per cent. It doesn't feel real, to be honest.

"There was no apology, just a 'well, this is it and it is more than fair, deal with it' attitude. It does not come across very well."

Crowds at the 2018 race

She said several members of the Foxy Ladies run club are planning to boycott next year's event for not honouring the offer.

Worthing 10k refused to comment on why it backtracked on the offer when approached by The Argus.

Instead they said: "It is very important for us to minimise wastage at the event such as excess medals.

"Unfortunately at the 2023 event we were 42 medals short with our predicted finisher calculations.

"These 42 runners all received their finishers medal shortly after the event, and will be given a reduced entry for the 2024 event to acknowledge the error."