16 Facts About Brendan Foster

Sir Brendan Foster was born on 12 January 1948 and is a British former long-distance runner, athletics commentator and road race organiser.

Brendan Foster founded the Great North Run, one of the sport's most high profile half-marathon races.

Brendan Foster later provided commentary and analysis on athletics, particularly long-distance events, for BBC Sport.

Brendan Foster's pupils included footballer turned manager Phil Brown, whom he tried to encourage to take up running over football.

That year, Brendan Foster was awarded the BBC's prestigious Sports Personality of the Year award.

Brendan Foster established his personal best in the 10,000 m with a time of 27:30.3 run at Crystal Palace on 23 June 1978, while winning 10,000 m gold at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton.

Brendan Foster only placed fourth in the 1978 European Athletics Championships 10,000-metre race, but he ran faster than any 10,000-metre European Champion has run ever since.

Brendan Foster finished fifth in the 1976 Olympics 5,000-metre final, just 1.4 seconds behind the winner, Lasse Viren of Finland.

Brendan Foster joined the sports company Nike International Limited in 1981 as UK managing director.

In 1981, Brendan Foster founded the Great North Run, an annual half marathon from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields.

Brendan Foster ran in the 2003 event for the first time in many years, after being challenged to do so by radio presenter Ray Stubbs.

Brendan Foster has promoted sport in Ethiopia and other African countries.

Brendan Foster was Chancellor of Leeds Metropolitan University from 2005 to 2009.

Brendan Foster was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1976 New Year Honours for services to athletics, and promoted to Commander of the same Order in the 2008 New Year Honours for services to sport.

In December 2016 Brendan Foster was given the Freedom of the City of Newcastle, the city's highest honour.

Brendan Foster was knighted in the 2020 Birthday Honours for 'services to international and national sport and to culture in North East England'.