The 2026 IAU 100km World Championships in A Coruña, Spain, on Sunday, 20 September, look set to produce exciting battles in both the men’s and women’s races.
With 248 athletes from 43 countries on the entry list, both fields have considerable depth, combining athletes in strong recent form with championship experience and impressive personal bests.
Men’s race
The men’s race is led by a fascinating group of contenders, with USA’s Charlie Lawrence among the favourites. The American 100km record holder has enjoyed an exceptional year, finishing sixth at the 2026 Comrades Marathon in 5:27:08 and running 2:14 on his marathon debut in Boston. His 50-mile world record further underlines his credentials.
He will face Aleksander Sorokin, the Lithuanian 100km world record holder. Sorokin’s 6:05:35 remains the benchmark over the distance, and while his current form is harder to assess, his experience and championship pedigree make him impossible to overlook.
Defending champion Jumpei Yamaguchi will also be looking to retain his title after winning in Bengaluru in 2024 in 6:12:17. The Japanese record holder has the experience to challenge again.
Great Britain’s Alex Milne, the 2026 World 50km champion, is another serious contender after setting a European 50km record of 2:46:09 and finishing fourth at Comrades. Switzerland’s Pascal Rueger, meanwhile, arrives as Europe’s fastest 100km runner of 2026 following his 6:18:27 Swiss record in February.
France also has significant depth, with Benjamin Polin, Jason Pointeau and Justin Dourlens all capable of featuring prominently.
With a world-record holder, defending champion and several of the strongest national teams in the sport on the start line, the men’s race promises to be highly competitive.
Women’s race
Courtney Olsen heads the women’s field. The American record holder is only the second woman to break seven hours for 100km and finished seventh at this year’s Comrades Marathon.
Great Britain’s Sarah Webster brings an equally impressive résumé. The European record holder and reigning 24-hour world champion ran 7:03:48 earlier this year, making her the fastest woman in the world over 100km in 2026 at the time.
Her teammate Naomi Robinson, the reigning World 50km champion, is one of the most intriguing contenders. She finished fifth at Comrades, ahead of Olsen, but has never raced 100km. How she handles the longer distance could be one of the key questions of the race.
Ireland’s Catriona Jennings, the Irish record holder and *100-mile world record holder (*under ratification), is another major contender. She will be looking for a strong championship performance after failing to finish in 2024.
France’s Camille Chaigneau, USA’s Sarah Morrison, Croatia’s Mirjana Simek Bilic, Czech record holder Petra Pastorova and Spain’s Gemma Arenas Alcazar add further depth, while Japan’s Akiko Maruichi will also be among the leading projected finishers.
Team battle
The team competition adds another intriguing dimension, with the first three finishers from each nation counting towards the result.
Japan looks particularly strong in the men’s race, with France and Great Britain also well placed to challenge for the medals.
The women’s contest appears even tighter, with Great Britain, Japan and the USA all possessing the depth to challenge, while France could also feature prominently. With such closely matched teams, every position could count.
