Manchester Met student designs 2025 Manchester Marathon finisher t-shirt
5 March 2025
Exclusive t-shirts will be handed out to thousands of people as they finish the marathon
Described by many as the UK’s friendliest (and flattest) marathon, Manchester Marathon is back again for 2025 and this year the finishers t-shirts have been designed by a graphic design student from Manchester Met after winning a highly competitive contest.
Kian Godbold, a third-year graphic design student at Manchester Met’s Manchester School of Art, won the contest with his original design that features a series of stylised letter M’s that are illustrated based on different elements that make up the city of Manchester.
Kian said: “I drew so many different variations of the letter M and they’re all inspired by Manchester, by the places here and the culture. So you have the Manchester bee and the football elements and the music notes.
“Before I came to university, I didn’t use much illustration as my focus is graphic design but since I study at the Manchester School of Art it is a lot more educational and I feel like I’ve met a lot more creative people, especially who are involved in drawing and illustration and that has inspired me too.”
Kian was introduced to the contest by his lecturer at Manchester Met and he and his class mates were given a brief by the team at Manchester Marathon. His lecturer then informed him that he had won early this year.
Kian said: “I opened the email when I was just eating toast! And then I shouted to my friend: I’ve won! I really didn’t expect it because there were so many talented people in the running.
“This is my first ever project outside of university so it’s quite a big deal! The design is going to be on thousands of t-shirts which is crazy. I’m going to be handing them out on the day to the participants and I’m really looking forward to seeing their reactions.”
Katie Jones, lecturer in graphic designat Manchester Met, said: “We are delighted that we were able to create an opportunity for our students to submit a design for such an inspiring competition. We are over the moon for Kian. He’s a hardworking student all round and for this to be his first ever freelance project is such an exciting moment.”
