Strong Novuna GB & NI Squad Ready for World 100km Championships

A hugely experienced Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team will head to Galicia for the 2026 World 100km Championships, taking place in Ames, Spain, on Sunday 20 September.

The squad features three reigning individual ultra-distance world champions, the women’s 100km European record holder and considerable experience from previous World Championships, Comrades Marathons and some of the biggest ultramarathons on the international calendar.

At the last World 100km Championships in Bengaluru in 2024, the women’s team won silver, the men took bronze and Sarah Webster claimed individual bronze. This time around, both British teams will once again have ambitions of competing at the sharp end.

THREE WORLD CHAMPIONS LEAD THE WAY

Sarah Webster (Lewes AC, Robbie Britton) returns to the 100km World Championships as one of the standout athletes in the women’s field.

Webster won bronze over 100km in Bengaluru two years ago, finishing in 7:19:18, but her performances either side of that championship underline the level she is capable of producing. Her 7:03:40 personal best is the British record, while she equalled her European record with 7:03:48 in Italy earlier this year.

Since Bengaluru, Webster has also become the 24-hour world champion. In Albi last October she covered 278.622km to win the world title and set a new world record, a performance which subsequently saw her named the IAU’s 2025 Athlete of the Year.

Joining her is Naomi Robinson (BRAT, Daniel Robinson), who has enjoyed a remarkable 2026 season. Robinson became 50km World Champion in New Delhi in March, running 3:13:39 as GB & NI swept to the women’s team title. She followed that by finishing fifth at the Comrades Marathon in June, clocking 6:07:55.

Alex Milne (Hercules Wimbledon) produced one of the finest men’s British ultra-distance performances in recent years when he won the 50km world title in March. His 2:46:09 in New Delhi set a European record, with GB & NI remarkably filling the first six places.

Milne then reinforced his credentials over longer distances with fourth place at this year’s Comrades Marathon. His 5:22:29 continued an impressive progression at Comrades, where he has finished 15th, ninth, sixth and now fourth.

EXPERIENCE AND DEPTH THROUGHOUT THE MEN’S TEAM

Henry Hart (Belgrave Harriers) was also part of the outstanding British performance at the World 50km Championships earlier this year, finishing fifth in 2:48:30 and breaking his own Scottish record. Hart was British 100km champion in 2025 with a commanding victory in 6:37:18 at Mallory Park.

David Barratt (Salford Harriers) earned his place following an outstanding debut at the distance at the Anglo-Celtic Plate and British 100km Championships in Limerick this March.

Barratt judged his first 100km race superbly, moving through the field in the closing stages to win in 6:31:04. That performance moved him to fifth on the UK all-time rankings and secured his place for Ames.

Thomas Almond (Reigate Priory AC, Robbie Britton) followed Barratt home in Limerick, running 6:33:29 on his own 100km debut. Almond has stepped up successfully from the marathon, where he has a best of 2:24:22, and his controlled debut over 100km suggested there could be more to come.

Thomas’ dream of competing for his country started from a young age “I started running at the age of 12 or 13 after watching Paula Radcliffe break the world record at London Marathon, I think it was probably a dream for me to run for Great Britain at that kind age but I don’t think I ever expected it to happen.”

Hugh Tibbs (Cambridge Harriers) adds a very different ultra-distance pedigree. Tibbs finished fourth at the British 100km Championships in the spring, running 6:42:29, but is equally accomplished away from the road. His recent performances include victory at the Arc of Attrition, a 13:03 performance over 100 miles at the Autumn 100 and three consecutive podium finishes at the South Downs Way 100.

Joe Turner (Cambridge & Coleridge, Sarah Cameron) returns from the 2024 World Championships team, where he finished 13th, and completes the men’s squad with a personal best of 6:35:37.

BRITISH DEPTH IN THE WOMEN’S RACE

Behind Webster and Robinson is a British women’s squad with athletes who all earned their opportunities through strong performances at the British Championships in Limerick.

Katie Young (Fulham Running Club, Neil Bryant) and Nicole Funnell (Springfield Striders, Edwina Sutton) booked their places with excellent runs over 100km in March.

Young will be making her senior debut out in Spain; “This is my first time running for Great Britain, it’s not something I could imagine. My first English vest was such an honour and it was great to take it more seriously and focusing more professionally and it’s very rare as a long distance that you run in a team.”

The pair ran together at the head of the race for much of the day before Young eventually edged ahead, winning in 7:50:36, with Funnell following in 7:51:45. Both performances secured automatic selection for the World Championships, with Funnell’s result coming on her road 100km debut.

Jacqueline Wilson (Robbie Simpson) earns her first senior GB & NI vest after representing Scotland on several occasions. Wilson ran 7:58:24 to finish third at the Anglo-Celtic Plate in March, winning the Scottish 100km title and moving to fifth on the Scottish all-time rankings.

The championships take place in Ames, Galicia, just outside Santiago de Compostela in north-west Spain, with athletes starting at 08:30 local time and completing 20 laps of an approximately five-kilometre road circuit.

A multi-lap circuit, much like a European Championships marathon course, creates its own particular style of 100km racing. Athletes see their support crews frequently, pacing information is readily available and the leading groups can remain together for a long time.

The Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the 2026 IAU 100km World Championships in Spain on 20th September:

Women

Nicole Funnell (Springfield Striders RC, Edwina Sutton)

Naomi Robinson (BRAT, Daniel Robinson)

Jacqueline Wilson (Scottish Athletics, Robbie Simpson)

Sarah Webster (Lewes AC, Robbie Britton)

Katie Young (Fulham Running Club, Neil Bryant)

Men

Thomas Almond (Reigate Priory AC, Robbie Britton)

David Barratt (Salford Harriers)

Henry Hart (Belgrave Harriers)

Alex Milne (Hercules Wimbledon)

Joe Turner

Hugh Tibbs (Cambridge Harriers)