India to host IAU 50km World Championships in December

India will host the IAU 50km World Championships this December, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced on Friday.

The global ultra-running event, organised in coordination with the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU), will take place on December 7 in New Delhi, starting and finishing at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Adille Sumariwalla, vice president of World Athletics and former AFI president, said India has been awarded a series of prestigious championships. “The first will be held this year in New Delhi, while the 2027 and 2029 editions have also been allotted to India,” he confirmed.

Ultra races cover distances beyond the marathon mark of 42.195 km. The 2025 edition of the 50km World Championships will feature elite men's and women’s races in both individual and team formats, along with competitions in masters and open categories. Registration for the event will begin early next month.

IAU president Nadeem Khan said India’s growing ultra-running culture has earned it the opportunity to host multiple editions. “The 2025 championships are expected to attract over 300 runners from 40 countries, which will give a major boost to ultra running in India,” he said.

India has already made a mark on the global stage, finishing runners-up in the men’s team event at the 2023 edition in Hyderabad, with distance runners from the Services team leading the charge. Sumariwalla expressed hope that Indian athletes would raise the bar in the upcoming championships.

Race director Nagaraj Adiga said the route for the Delhi event has been finalised. “The tentative schedule has been prepared, and the race will start and end at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium,” he said.