Boxer Tommy Fury, who is most known for his fights and reality TV shows, is once again in the news for something other than sports. After finishing in 1:34:35 at the 2025 Great North Run, the world’s largest half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields, Fury was accused online of “faking” his feat. When a short video showed him pushing another competitor aside in the last stretch, the criticism grew even more, and people started to argue over how he acted during the event.

Fury, the younger brother of former heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, has previously attracted notice for his unconventional approach to distance running. At the Tatton 10km in January 2025, he gained attention for an aggressive finishing burst and later joked on social media, “In this beautiful scenery, Lake Como you are beautiful. And just to warn everybody no grannies were hurt in the process at the finish line.” His physicality was again on display at the Great North Run on September 7, where his sprint to the line resulted in direct contact with another competitor.

The incident has now become the main talking point of his race. A 13-second TikTok clip showed Fury elbowing a fellow runner during the closing meters, and reports later confirmed that the man involved was raising funds for Muscular Dystrophy UK. That runner, 38-year-old plumber Diarmaid Warner from Dumbarton, described what occurred in an interview with The Sun. “As you get to the end you think the finish line is straight in front of you,” he explained. “It’s only at the last few metres you realise you’ve got one more right turn to make. It was as I was going around it that I felt this hand on my shoulder which pushed me to the side for him to run through. I was a bit upset and thought that’s not on – it’s not really race etiquette.”

Warner, who ultimately crossed the line 12 minutes ahead of Fury, told the paper that he later realized who had pushed him. “I told my wife, you’ll never guess what – Tommy Fury’s pushed me out of the way,” he said. His mother later expressed her own view on Facebook, writing, “Diarmaid Warner is the real hero and finished ahead of Tommy Fury by 12 minutes. Our champion.” The comments from Warner’s family added to growing public criticism after the video circulated widely on social media platforms.

Fury, who earlier in September had completed a demanding 100km triathlon along the French Riviera, has not yet responded publicly to the controversy. His performance at the Great North Run might otherwise have been seen as another demonstration of his endurance training, but the manner of his finish has overshadowed his result. With the Great North Run drawing tens of thousands of participants each year, including many raising money for charitable causes, the question of race etiquette has become central to the discussion of his conduct. Tommy Fury faced renewed criticism as old patterns of controversial behavior resurfaced during the Great North Run.

Tommy Fury reignites backlash after fresh footage of finish line shove surfaces

Tommy Fury’s reputation among distance runners diminished further this week when fresh footage appeared to show him physically displacing a fellow competitor in the final strides of the Great North Run. The incident, recorded just before he reached the finish, reignited scrutiny that had been building since earlier episodes of questionable conduct at similar events. Viewers described the act as yet another demonstration of poor judgement in a sporting environment where etiquette carries genuine weight.

This was not the first time Fury’s behaviour in a race drew disapproval. In January, a clip circulated online that appeared to capture him pushing aside an older woman during a charity 10k. He later attempted to defuse the reaction on Instagram, remarking, “no grannies were hurt.” The comment barely eased the backlash, as numerous fans perceived it more as a brush-off than a genuine clarification. This episode has become a key reference point for future discussions, popping up every time his name comes up in the context of endurance competitions. The latest video from Newcastle really drives home the story.

As Fury approached the final stretch, the buzz among fans was already influenced by the earlier drama that had unfolded. His noticeable shove only intensified the feeling that he doesn’t care about his fellow competitors. Public reaction swiftly returned to the same concerns voiced months earlier, with one common phrase recurring across forums and comment sections, “terrible running etiquette.”