December 6, 2024 – Outrigger

**The Indian team for the 2024 IAU 100 km World Championship; at the opening ceremony of the event (photo: Shyam G Menon)**

NEB Sports says it is talking to Tour de France to bring bicycle races to India

On Saturday, December 7, Bengaluru will witness the 2024 International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) 100 km World Championship. The event was formally declared open today.

This is the first time India is hosting a 100 km World Championship. Last year, Hyderabad in Telengana had hosted the IAU 50 km World Championship.

**Athletes from different countries at the opening ceremony of the 2024 IAU 100 km World Championship, in Bengaluru (photo: Shyam G Menon)**

About 300 ultrarunners from over 40 countries have landed in Bengaluru to participate in the championship. They will be competing in team and individual categories for both men and women.

The event supported by the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) is being held at the GKVK campus. It will also feature the World Masters 100 km Championships which allows participants to compete in five-year age categories (from 35 years onward).

Defending champions participating in the 2024 World Championship include Japan’s Haruki Okayama (winner) and Jumpei Yamaguchi in the men’s category. Among women, Floriane Hot (winner) from France and Caitriona Jennings (second runner-up) from Ireland will be participating.

“ The 100 km World Championships is not just a test of endurance but a celebration of human determination and camaraderie,” Dr Nadeem Khan, President of IAU, said at the opening ceremony of the Championship.

“ IAU has been growing strong and does not intend to stop. We intend to take the championships to places where we haven’t gone,” he said.

NEB Sports is organizing the event. Nagaraj Adiga, Chairman and Managing Director of NEB Sports, and the race director of the 100 km World Championship, said Bengaluru is an ideal city to host the Championship.

**Senior officials of IAU led by its president Dr Nadeem Khan (third from right), at the opening ceremony of the 2024 IAU 100 km World Championship, in Bengaluru (photo: Shyam G Menon)**

He pointed out that NEB Sports has been holding many running, triathlon and other non-cricket sporting events. He also said that NEB Sports is in talks with Tour de France to introduce a clutch of bicycle racing events in India.

Hosting the 100 km World Championship will help boost ultra-running as a sport in India, Adille Sumariwalla, President, AFI, was quoted as saying in a press note issued at the end of the opening ceremony.

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

Some more photos from the opening ceremony (photos: Latha Venkatraman)