Ukrainian soldier wins ultramarathon world championship with 294 km run

Andrii Tkachuk defeated more than 200 competitors from around the world at the championship in France.
Andriy Tkachuk holds the Ukrainian flag after winning the 24-hour ultramarathon world championship in Albi, France, covering 294.346 kilometers.
Andrii Tkachuk holds the Ukrainian flag after winning the 24-hour ultramarathon world championship in Albi, France, covering 294.346 kilometers. Photo: iRunFar/Deki Fourcin
Ukrainian soldier wins ultramarathon world championship with 294 km run

Andrii Tkachuk, a soldier who fought in Russia's war against Ukraine, ran 294.346 kilometers (182.8 miles) in 24 hours at the world ultramarathon championship in Albi, France, winning against more than 200 competitors from around the world.

The 40-year-old from Khust in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast finished the 18-19 October race ahead of Norwegian Jo Inge Norum, who covered 285.513 kilometers, and Finland's Matti Jonkka with 283.699 kilometers. All three top finishers surpassed 283 kilometers within the timeframe, according to Oboz.ua.

The event was organized by the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), the global governing body for races longer than the traditional marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers (26 miles).

Andrii Tkachuk covered 294 km (182 miles) at the International Association of Ultrarunners championship in Albi, France, on October 18-19, finishing ahead of more than 200 competitors from around the world. Photo: iRunFar/Deki Fourcin

Tkachuk has competed internationally in ultra-distance events since the early 2010s. His breakthrough came in 2016 when he entered his first 24-hour race and immediately won the Ukrainian championship after covering more than 200 kilometers. He went on to set a national record of 263 kilometers (163 miles) in a single day.

In August 2021, he pushed the Ukrainian record to 295.363 kilometers (183.5 miles) at a tournament in Poland. That same year, he covered 435 kilometers (270 miles) in 48 hours, placing second in history behind Greek-Australian athlete Yiannis Kouros.

Following Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Tkachuk enlisted in the Ukrainian military and served with the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade. He participated in combat operations near Zaporizhzhia and sustained shrapnel wounds during his service with the Sich battalion.

The Ministry of Defense allowed him to compete at select international events while maintaining his military service.

Ukrainian runner Andrii Tkachuk during his service with the 128th Mountain Assault Brigade, where he fought near Zaporizhzhia and sustained shrapnel wounds before winning the 2025 ultramarathon world championship. Photo: @brodiahaandrii/Instagram

 

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