Amar Singh Devanda (IND) and Miho Nakata (JPN) Triumph at the 2026 IAU 24H Asia and Oceania Championships.
The 2026 IAU 24H Asia & Oceania Championships concluded today, May 24th, in Hirosaki City, Japan. Over an intense 24 hours of racing from May 23rd to 24th, elite ultrarunners pushed their physical and mental limits. The provisional results showcase an incredible display of endurance, highlighted by absolute dominance from the Indian Men’s contingent lead by Amar Singh Devanda and an individual masterclass by Japan's Miho Nakata.
Men's Individual & Team Results: Clean Sweep for India
The Indian men's team delivered a historic performance, sweeping the individual podium and securing the team gold medal with a massive combined total of 815.833 km.
- Individual Champion: Amar Singh Devanda (IND) claimed the gold medal, completing 226 laps for an outstanding distance of 282.881 km.
- Silver: Geeno Antony (IND) secured second place with 272.894 km (218 laps).
- Bronze: Saurav Kumar Ranjan (IND) completed the podium sweep in third, logging 260.058 km (208 laps).
Host nation Japan took the Team Silver medal (754.726 km), led by Masaaki Kimoto. Australia claimed Team Bronze (732.525 km), spearheaded by a strong 253.392 km performance from Phil Gore.
Men's Team Podium:
- 1. India (IND) – 815.833 km
- 2. Japan (JPN) – 754.726 km
- 3. Australia (AUS) – 732.525 km
Women's Individual & Team Results: Nakata Guides Japan to Gold
In the women's category, Japan's Miho Nakata put on a spectacular show on home soil. Nakata won the individual gold by a dominant 20-kilometer margin, racking up 208 laps to finish at 261.170 km. Her performance anchored the Japanese Women's Team to a gold medal victory with an aggregate of 707.357 km.
- Individual Champion: Miho Nakata (JPN) – 261.170 km
- Silver (Tie): Jenny White (AUS) & Carrie Geeson (AUS) crossed the line together in an incredible joint-effort, both covering 241.229 km (192 laps) to share second place.
Australia's dual-podium finish secured them the Team Silver medal (684.450 km). The Indian women's team capped off a highly successful weekend for their federation by claiming the Team Bronze (667.722 km), led by a stellar 4th-place individual finish from Tenzin Dolma (228.939 km).
Women's Team Podium:
- 1. Japan (JPN) – 707.357 km
- 2. Australia (AUS) – 684.450 km
- 3. India (IND) – 667.722 km
| Medals Standing | ||||
| Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1. India | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2. Japan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3. Australia | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
These results are provisional as of May 24, 2026, and subject to official ratification by the IAU.
Congratulations to all the athletes, teams, and organizers in Hirosaki City for an unforgettable championship event!
Jacek Bedkowski
IAU Vice-President
