"Seven Continents Finisher" medal received by Tony Reed
date: label: Date
content: after 2007
name: label: Created by
content: Marathon Tours & Travel, American, founded 1979
label: Received by
content: Tony Reed, American, born 1956
notes: label: Caption
content: With the completion of the 2007 Safaricom marathon in Nairobi, Kenya, long distance runner Tony Reed became the first Black person to complete a marathon on all seven continents. He has also completed marathons in each of the 50 states, known as the "marathon hat trick."
label: Caption
content: Growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Reed first became interested in health in fitness when he was diagnosed with a pre-diabetic condition at the age of eight. He began long distance running in 1979 while working as a computer programmer in Texas. He has since completed 132 marathons, including winning ten age group and weight division trophies.
label: Caption
content: Reed co-founded and is executive director of the National Black Marathoners Association and has written several books and articles about distance running. In 2022, he wrote and directed the award winning documentary Breaking Three Hours: Trailblazing African American Women Marathoners.
label: Description
content: Metal and enamel “Seven Continents Finisher” medal with moss green ribbon lanyard awarded to marathon runner Tony Reed. The gold colored medal has a black enamel border with gold colored text reading “SEVEN CONTINENTS” along the top border and “FINISHER” along the bottom border. In the center of the medal is a globe with blue enamel oceans and gold colored continents and longitudinal and equilateral lines. Two running figures are depicted in moss green enamel over the African and Asian continents. The verso of the medal is textured. There is a ¾”H x 2 ½”W brushed metal plaque applied to the center of the verso, reading “ANTHONY REED, CPA, PMP/ JUNE 23, 2007/ FIRST BLACK IN THE WORLD”.
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Athletes
label: Topic
content: Sports
label: Topic
content: Track and field
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Awards, Medals, and Insignia
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Anthony and Deborah Reed
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2012.69.4
objectType: label: Type
content: medals
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Unknown - Restrictions Possible
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: metal with enamel paint and ribbon
label: Dimensions
content: H x W: 3 1/4 x 4 in. (8.3 x 10.2 cm)