Sibusiso Kubheka Becomes First Human to Run 100km in Under Six Hours
South African ultrarunner Sibusiso Kubheka has made history by becoming the first person in the world to run 100 kilometres in under six hours.
The 27-year-old clocked an astonishing 5:59:20 at a pace of 3:35 per kilometre during the Chasing 100 event organised by Adidas at the Nardò Ring high-performance test track in Lecce, Italy.
Kubheka outran four other world-class ultramarathoners in the exhibition time trial, cementing his place in the history books.
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Breaking Barriers
“I’m so proud of my performance out there today,” Kubheka said after the race.
“Breaking this record and becoming the first person to run 100K in under 6 hours was not easy—but thanks to Adidas’ partnership, belief and bespoke technologies, we made it happen. When we combine the best athletes, the right preparation and sports innovation, anything is possible.”
Kubheka’s achievement shattered the previous world record by nearly six minutes, proving the extraordinary limits of human endurance.
The Chasing 100 Event
Adidas organised the event not only to push athletic boundaries but also to showcase its Adizero Evo Prime X prototype shoes and ClimaCool apparel designed to maximise performance.
Chief Creative Officer Alasdhair Willis hailed the milestone as a major breakthrough:
“Chasing 100 is the story of our deep-rooted drive to go faster. Kubheka’s history-defining performance—achieving something no one has ever come close to—is an immense achievement that we are incredibly proud of. This is a true testament to the power of combining Adidas innovation with the very best of athletic prowess to push the limits of human capability forwards.”
Global Competition
Kubheka ran alongside Lithuania’s Aleksandr Sorokin, Japan’s Jo Fukuda, Ethiopia’s Ketema Negasa, and U.S. runner Charlie Lawrence. The group stuck together for seven laps before Kubheka surged on the final lap to claim the record.
- Charlie Lawrence finished second in 6:03:47.
- Aleksandr Sorokin, the previous 100K world record holder, placed third in 6:04:10.
Lawrence, who owns the 50-mile world record, reflected on his performance:
“This represents, to me, an opportunity to solidify that I am one of the best road ultramarathoners ever. There are only so many barriers in sports, and this is one that nobody’s cracked yet, so to be the first to ever achieve that would be special, mean a lot, and validate the ‘all-in’ approach I take to this sport.”
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