Indian ultra-runner, Anjali Saraogi, is the new Vice-Chair of the Athletes’ Commission of the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU).

According to a related statement from IAU, Pablo Barnes, Argentinian ultra-runner, has been named as the Chair of the Commission.

The Athletes’ Commission was set up in 2018 with 15 members including two IAU Council members. Wayne Botha and Virginia Oliveri were the first Chair and Vice-Chair respectively.

“ As a group we are the voice of the athletes,’’ Anjali said when contacted.

The responsibility of the Chair is to speak for the group at IAU meetings, present reports, arrange and chair meetings with the Athletes Commission and represent the Athletes Commission at press conferences at championships and be available for interviews on social media, she said.

The Vice Chair will stand in if the Chair is unavailable and assist the Chair when required.

“ The Athletes’ Commission also serves as a link between federations and the IAU. It promotes good communication and relations between athletes, federations and the IAU,’’ Anjali said.

Kolkata-based Anjali has represented India in 100-kilometer races held internationally. She is also a podium finisher in races of other distances, including the marathon.

The former national record holder over the 100 km distance had won the ultra and trail running award of the Athletic Federation of India in 2019-2020. At the 2019 IAU 100 km Asia & Oceania Championships held in Aqaba, Jordan, in November 2019, Anjali broke her own national record for the 100 km event.

The record has since been broken by another ultra-runner, Gunjan Khurana.

(The author, Latha Venkatraman, is an independent journalist based in Mumbai.)