The organizers of the Cebu City Marathon (CCM) 2026 have issued a public apology after a major logistical failure left thousands of runners without their finisher's medals immediately after the race on Sunday, January 11, 2026. The incident, which affected participants in both the 42K and 21K categories, has drawn widespread criticism from the running community.
Widespread Disappointment on Race Day
The highly anticipated event, which attracted approximately 12,000 participants, was marred by chaos at the finish line area. Instead of receiving their hard-earned medals upon crossing the finish line—a standard practice in marathon events—runners were forced to wait. Many were instructed to wait until as late as 7:00 AM to collect their medals, leading to confusion and frustration.
In an official statement released on their social media pages on Monday, January 12, 2026, the Cebu Marathon committee acknowledged the anger and disappointment. “For many runners, that medal is not just an item; it is a symbol of completion and achievement. We failed to deliver that moment to you,” the statement read. The event had drawn a significant field, including international runners from Japan, Spain, and Brazil, as well as local participants from Luzon and Mindanao.
Root Cause: A Supplier's Failure
The organizers placed the blame squarely on their long-time medal supplier, Suarez Arts. According to the CCM, the supplier, which had been providing medals since 2011, failed to deliver the items on schedule despite repeated assurances. “Our medal supplier, Suarez Arts, who has been our supplier since 2011, failed to deliver the medals as scheduled despite repeated assurances that they would arrive on time,” the organizers explained.
Complications arose from a Customs delay at the Port of Manila. While the organizers were aware of this issue beforehand and managed to transport some medals to Cebu, a major shipment did not arrive in time. The crucial batch of medals finally reached Cebu at 6:51 AM on race day, after several delays and offloading issues. The CCM defended its actions by stating that medals were distributed immediately upon the shipment's arrival at the event site.
Moving Forward and Demanding Accountability
Despite the medal fiasco, the CCM highlighted that other critical aspects of the race day—such as post-race meals, hydration stations, and security—were delivered successfully. This year's event was particularly significant as organizers had pledged to improve after receiving negative feedback from runners in the previous edition.
The CCM has now formally called for accountability from Suarez Arts and is coordinating the distribution of medals to runners, especially those who are not based in Cebu and could not wait. Affected participants are advised to contact the organizers via email at info@cebumarathon.com.ph or cebumarathon2026@gmail.com to arrange for delivery of their medals.
