World’s Only University-Hosted Run: Soochow Ultramarathon Earns Sixth Gold Label

On November 29 and 30, 2025, Soochow University’s 24-hour International Ultramarathon gathered 33 runners from seven countries and was certified with its sixth Gold Label. With the support of 500 staff and volunteers, the event attracted more than 800 participants across all categories, including 20 athletes who surpassed the 200-kilometer mark, reaffirming its status as the world’s only ultramarathon hosted by a university.

Seven runners reached the internationally recognized performance standard—244 kilometers for men and 224 kilometers for women. In the men’s division, Iván López of Spain (261.7 Km) claimed first place, followed by Shoki Fukumoto (254.9 Km) and Hidekazu Tanaka (254.5 Km) of Japan, with Yong-Min Zheng (249.2 Km) of China also meeting the elite benchmark.

In the women’s group, Miho Nakata (259.8 Km) of Japan secured first place, with Olena Shevchenko (244.4 Km) of Ukraine and Aiko Kanematsu (227.8 Km) of Japan finishing second and third, respectively.

The race also highlighted inspirational performances, including Zhee-Long Cheng of Malaysia, a runner with cerebral palsy, who completed 82.8 kilometers in 24 hours. His 50-kilometer split of 10 hours, 25 minutes, and 54 seconds marked a personal best and qualified him to apply for a world record in his category.

Reflecting on the race, López noted that competing on a university campus made the experience particularly memorable. He described the daytime heat as a major challenge but credited the enthusiastic volunteer support for helping him stay focused throughout the race.

Local Taiwanese runners also delivered standout performances. Chia-Chun Chang led the domestic men’s division with 227.5 kilometers, followed by Xing-Guo Cai (217.7 Km) and Jun-Chang Lee (212 Km). In the women’s domestic category, Hsia-Chin Yeh finished first with 215.2 kilometers, ahead of Hsiao-Chun Huang (206.4 Km) and Chieh-Ju Lin (199 Km).

Although he fell short of breaking the record, Chang said the constant encouragement from volunteers played a crucial role in sustaining his performance. He added that the atmosphere of support motivated him to surpass the record next year.

SU President Chyan-Long Jan remarked that the ultramarathon has become one of Taiwan’s most recognized loop-course endurance events and a long-standing tradition of the university. Recognized by the Ministry of Sports as a Taiwan’s iconic international event, the race continues to represent Taiwan on the international stage of sports events.