Visit to New Delhi and Press Conference for 2025 IAU 50km WC

A Productive Visit to New Delhi: Press Conference for the 2025 IAU 50 km World Championships

In a significant step towards hosting the 2025 IAU 50 km World Championships, IAU President Nadeem Khan recently travelled to New Delhi for a press conference and a series of important meetings. This trip, organized by the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), spanned 2.5 days and was packed with discussions, site visits, and strategic planning for the upcoming event.

The press conference featured an audience of approximately 60-70 attendees, including about 10 members of the press. Adille Sumariwalla, the Vice President of World Athletics, Adiga Nagaraj, Race Director and IAU Area Representative Asia & Oceania, and Nadeem Khan spoke at the event, which also saw a strong presence of athletes in the audience. Additionally, Adille Sumariwalla arranged a meeting at the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) offices, where we had the opportunity to engage with President of South Asian Athletics Federation, Lalit Bhanot.

During his stay, Nadeem had the opportunity to meet with several key figures in the Indian sports administration. Among those present were:

• Mansukh Mandaviya, Minister of Sports for India
• Hari Rajan Rao, Secretary for Sport
• Kunal, Joint Secretary for Sports Development
• Vineel Krishna Ravella, Joint Secretary for Khelo India

Honourable Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports

All officials expressed their enthusiastic support for the 50 km championships and showed keen interest in hosting more ultrarunning events in the future. The Minister and Adille Sumariwalla, was particularly engaged in discussions about the potential for ultramarathons to contribute to India's sporting landscape.

Mr. Adille Sumariwalla, Mr. Rajan Rao, Nadeem Khan and Mr. Adiga Nagaraj

Site visit, course and logistics

The 2025 IAU 50 km World Championships will take place on a carefully designed 5 km loop course, facilitating an efficient and spectator-friendly event. The route will utilize the stadium loop around the historic Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, a venue previously used for the Commonwealth Games. The logistical arrangements also included a site visit to the hotel where participants will be accommodated, located approximately a 6km from the stadium.

The discussions held during the trip also laid the groundwork for future ultrarunning events in India. The government officials, including the Minister of Sports, are eager to promote ultramarathons and have ambitious plans for hosting major sporting events, including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympic Games.

The successful trip to New Delhi marks a pivotal moment for the IAU 50 km World Championships and the future of ultrarunning in India.

Jacek Bedkowski

IAU Director of Communication