Matthieu Bonne
Matthieu Bonne has quickly established himself as one of the most versatile and dynamic ultrarunners in the world. Renowned for his exceptional endurance and ability to excel across a wide range of ultradistance formats, he has built a reputation as a relentless competitor capable of delivering world-class performances in multi-day events.
His achievements in the 24-hour, 48-hour, and 6-day disciplines place him firmly among the global elite. Bonne’s historic 48-hour IAU World Record and his consistent results throughout 2024 and 2025 highlight his growing influence in the sport. He continues to push the boundaries of human endurance and redefine what is possible in long-duration ultrarunning.
Personal Bests (PB)
| Discipline | Performance | Note |
| 24 Hours | 275.250 km | Belgian National Record |
| 48 Hours | 485.099 km | IAU World Record |
| 6 Days | 1045.519 km | IAU World Best Performance |
Career Highlights
- 2025: Set a staggering new IAU 48-hour World Record of 485.099 km in Pabianice, Poland, surpassing a mark held by the legendary Yiannis Kouros for nearly 30 years.
- 2024: Broke the long-standing 6-day IAU World Best Performance by covering 1,045.519 km in Balatonfüred, Hungary.
- 2024: Established a new Belgian record in the 24-hour discipline with a distance of 275.250 km.
In addition to his ultrarunning prowess, Bonne is a highly accomplished "adventure" athlete. He holds records in open-water swimming (including swimming the entire Belgian coastline) and extreme cycling (setting a world record for the most kilometers cycled in seven days). He sets a new basketball world record for most free throws in under 24 hours (22 118 throws). This multisport background contributes to his unique physiological capacity to withstand high-volume physical stress over multiple days.
2025 IAU Athlete of the Year
In recognition of his groundbreaking season—most notably his "unbreakable" 48-hour record—Matthieu Bonne was officially awarded the 2025 IAU Athlete of the Year award in February 2026. This victory marked his first time receiving the top honor, following a highly successful trajectory in the international voting process. Demonstrating his consistent impact on the sport, Bonne was also a top nominee the previous year, where he finished on the podium for the 2024 voting, signaling his rapid ascent to the pinnacle of global ultrarunning.
