Japanese ultra-runner sets womens all-time best by slim margin as Aleksandr Sorokin takes mens title at the IAU World 24-hour Championships in Taipei

Japans Miho Nakata set a womens world record when winning the IAU World 24-hour Championships in Taipei on Saturday (Dec 2) while Lithuanias Aleksandr Sorokin retained his world crown and the British team won bronze in the mens race, Adrian Stott reports.

With final results still to be confirmed, organisers are reporting a distance of 270.363km (167.995 miles) which, if confirmed, will surpass the distance set by Camille Heron of 270.116km (167.842 miles) at the last edition of the championship in 2019 by a mere 246 metres.

Nakata had been the early leader and at six hours had reached 78km, with Finlands Noora Honkala and Herron in second and third. She reached 100km in around 7hr 50min, a total of 10 minutes up on Herrons split from her world record run in 2019.

At halfway, Nakata had accumulated 146km, on par with Herrons record split at the 2019 event in Albi. Herron was lying second with 142km, Norways Line Caliskaner was on 140km with Spains Carmen Maria Perez and Honkala also on 140km.

Herron seemed to encounter difficulties and retired at this point, leaving Nakata to power on and reach 100 miles in approximately 13hr 25min with Spains Perez at about 13:45 and Honkala at 14.00.

By 20 hours, Nakata had reached 228.00km. Although still moving well it looked like she was falling slightly behind record schedule despite being 12km ahead of Perez, as Ukraines Olena Shevchenko moved up to third.

A strong final three hours by Nakata took her past Herrons mark, seemingly in the final minutes of the race. Shevchenko took the silver, while previous champion and world record holder Patrycja Bereznowska of Poland took bronze.

Putting Nakatas run in perspective, her distance was only beaten by four of the men in the championship and increased her 24-hour PB by 14km from 256.024km. She also has a 100km best of 7:19:12 when finishing at the 2023 World 100km Championships in Berlin.

Positions changed a lot in the last couple of hours, with the likelihood of several national records yet to be confirmed in both the womens and mens races.

In the team competition, the experienced Polish team paced well to take the gold medals. Japan claimed silver and Czech Republic the bronze.

Sorokin retains global title

Aleksandr Sorokin had a similarly emphatic victory in the mens race, although falling short of his current world record.

At six hours he led Brazils Denison Da Silva by 2km, with Greeces Fotios Zisimopoulos in third. Reaching the first landmark of 100k in just over seven hours, he was slowly stretching his lead out.

Sorokin hit 100 miles in approximately 11hr 35min and totalled 166km at halfway. This compared with a 170.9km split when he set his exceptional world record of 319.614km in Verona last year. Zisimopoulos reached halfway in 158km, with Ukrainian Andrii Tkachuk now third.

Sorokin maintained a strong pace in the second half of the race to take the victory, surpassing 300km for the third time in his career to retain his title. Zisimopoulos, who had broken the record in the 245km Spartathlon race in September, cemented his place in the world ultra standings, taking second place with over 290km to gain his first ultra championship medal. Tkachuk took the bronze.

Lithuania took the gold medals in the team competition, with Poland taking silver.

Superb pacing from the Great Britain and Northern Ireland mens team saw them earn well-deserved bronze medals.

Daniel Hawkins led the British men home in 10th, Former European 24-hour champions Dan Lawson was 17th and British record-holder Robbie Britton was the third counter in 22nd place.

Provisional results

Women: 1 M Nakata (JPN) 270.363km; 2 Olena Shevchenko (UKR) 254.463km; 3 P Bereznowska (POL) 249.541km; 19 S Power (GBR) 227.285km; 71 S Amend (GBR) 174.00km; 85 J Coleman (GBR) 156.00km; 105 E Eccles (GBR) 188.00km

TEAM: 1 Poland 726.552km; 2 Japan 702.911km; 3 Czech Republic 697.275km; 12 GB & NI 556.800km

Men: 1 A Sorokin (LTU) 301.790km; 2 F Zisimopoulos (GRE) 292.254km; 3 A Tkachuk (UKR) 284.540km; 10 D Hawkins (GBR) 260.800km; 15 D Lawson (GBR); 20 R Britton (GBR); 31 D Carr (GBR) 150 A Whearity 188.00

TEAM: 1 Lithuania 813.368km; 2 Poland 787.964km; 3 GB & NI 771.794km