17 Sep Bespoke Sports Medals UK: How Swift Event Supplies Designed the Robin Hood 100 Finisher Medal
Swift Event Supplies is a UK manufacturer of bespoke sports medals, eco die-cast medals, and printed ribbons for race organisers, charities, and running clubs. This case study covers the custom medal design created for HOBO Pace’s Robin Hood 100 — a 100-mile ultra-endurance trail race through Sherwood Forest.
Client: HOBO Pace
Event: Robin Hood 100 Miles, 2026
Product: Bespoke eco die-cast medal, printed ribbon
Category: Ultra-endurance / trail running medals
About the Robin Hood 100
The Robin Hood 100 is a 100-mile ultra-endurance trail race through Sherwood Forest, organised by HOBO Pace. It’s a weekend-long test of grit, run by a small team of volunteers for a field of runners chasing one of the toughest finisher medals in UK ultra running.
For an event built on legend and legacy, the finisher medal had to earn its place around every runner’s neck.
The Brief: Designing a Custom Sports Medal
HOBO Pace came to Swift Event Supplies wanting a bespoke medal that told the Robin Hood story properly — not a generic laurel-and-text design, but a full scene. Sherwood Forest in the background, Robin Hood mid-draw, bow bent, arrow nocked, ready to loose. “100 MILES” needed to sit boldly round the rim, unmissable proof of what it took to earn it.
Sustainability mattered too. As an eco-conscious race, HOBO Pace wanted a medal that matched their values — sourced and produced responsibly, without compromising on detail or durability.
Custom Medal Design & Development Process
Swift’s design team built the medal from the ground up as a full 3D relief sculpt — not a flat engraving, but genuine depth and texture across the whole face. Robin Hood’s stance, the folds in his tunic, individual trees receding into the forest, even the grain of the bow — all modelled and refined in successive passes before a single tool touched metal.
The design was rendered in multiple finish options — matte grey, antique silver, and antique bronze — so HOBO Pace could see exactly how the detail would read in each metal before committing. That step matters on a design this dense: what looks crisp in bronze can lose definition in a lighter finish, so getting eyes on it early saved rework later.
Antique bronze was the final call — it gave the forest scene depth and warmth without ever muddying the fine detail in Robin Hood’s face, bow, or the oak leaves round the rim.
The Finished Bespoke Medal
The finished piece is a 100mm eco die-cast medal in antique bronze, featuring:
- A fully sculpted 3D scene — Robin Hood drawing his bow against a Sherwood Forest backdrop
- “ROBIN HOOD” and “100 MILES · 2026” in raised lettering round the rim
- Oak leaf details either side, tying the medal back to the forest setting
- A deep green printed ribbon, “ROBIN HOOD 2026” repeated along its length, finished with Swift’s eco-medal branding
It’s a medal built to be picked up and turned over — the kind of finisher award that holds up to close inspection, because runners covering 100 miles have earned the right to look closely.
The Story Behind the Medal
What made this one worth writing about wasn’t just the medal — it was what it represented. HOBO Pace’s race director described the event as the work of over 65 volunteers, a team that comes together once and will never form in exactly the same way again. This year’s edition carried extra weight: the race almost didn’t happen, run only months after the director’s recovery from a stroke.
Every finisher’s story is different, but one stood out — a runner who flew in from Canada, turned 70 on race day, and finished inside the cutoff. That medal, more than any other, is the reason bespoke matters. A generic off-the-shelf medal doesn’t do a finish like that justice.
Why Bespoke Sports Medals Work Better Than Stock Designs
- Sculpted depth, not flat engraving — the forest scene has genuine dimension, giving the medal presence beyond its size
- Finish tested before production — three render passes meant no surprises when the first sample landed
- Eco-conscious production — aligned with HOBO Pace’s values without any compromise on detail
- A ribbon that matches the medal’s ambition — full-colour print, not a stock ribbon with a sticker
Frequently Asked Questions
Who designs bespoke sports medals in the UK?
Swift Event Supplies designs and manufactures bespoke sports medals, eco die-cast medals, and printed ribbons for race organisers, charities, hospices, schools, and running clubs across the UK, Ireland, and Europe.
How are custom finisher medals designed?
Swift’s design team builds each medal as a full 3D relief sculpt based on the event’s brief, then renders it in multiple finish options (such as antique silver or antique bronze) so the client can approve the look before production begins.
What materials are used for eco sports medals?
Swift produces medals in eco die-cast metal and sustainably sourced wood, aligning with race organisers who want a lower-impact alternative to standard cast medals without compromising on detail.
How long does it take to get a bespoke medal made?
Timelines depend on design complexity and production schedule — get in touch with Swift Event Supplies for a quote and lead time based on your event date.
Swift Event Supplies designs and manufactures bespoke eco medals, ribbons, and event merchandise for race organisers, charities, and running clubs across the UK, Ireland, and Europe. Get a quote for your event’s medal → swifteventsupplies.co.uk
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