The IAU Balkan Express Cup, an exciting new series of ultramarathon events, has officially kicked off with its first race now completed. This competition aims to bring together the best ultramarathon runners from the Balkan region and beyond, promoting not only athletic excellence but also camaraderie among participants. The inaugural race in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, has drawn significant attention, showcasing a fast 50 km where the top 3 men completed the race in under 3:10, and the top 3 women finished in sub 3:35. In the 100 km race, men winner and women winner completed the race just 25 seconds apart from each other. Mirjana Šimek Bilić won the title of women national champion in the 100 km for the third consecutive time, setting a new Croatian record of 7:13. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it surpasses the previous record set by Nikolina Šustić at the IAU World Championship in 2018, where she became the world champion with a time of 7:20. Furthermore, on Saturday at the Polojska Ultra 100 km, as part of the Croatian Championship at 50 and 100 km, Marko Kos successfully broke the Guinness World Record for the fastest run of 100 km while pushing a person in a wheelchair.
Start of the race (photo LOC facebook)
We are pleased to announce that the results for the first race are now available! You can view the standings at the following link: IAU Balkan Express Cup Standings. For more information about the event and its significance, please refer to the initial publication here: IAU Balkan Express Cup Announcement.
Jacek Bedkowski
IAU Director of Communication
