Lawrence Takes 100km World Title Over Record Holder Sorokin

Charlie Lawrence won the 2026 IAU 100km World Championships in 6:09:25, beating world record holder Aleksandr Sorokin head to head on a paved circuit in Ames, Spain.

A duel decided over 20 laps

The race unfolded on a 20-lap asphalt course through the Galician municipality of Ames.

Britain's Alex Milne took bronze in 6:17:50, while Spain's Carlos Gazapo Bravo was the top home finisher in tenth.

A record holder in his own right

Lawrence's winning time sits 3 minutes 50 seconds behind Sorokin's world record. But on a championship morning it was the head-to-head victory that counted most.

The 31-year-old Boulder-based runner already held the American 100km record at 6:07:10, set at the 2025 Desert Solstice Track Invitational. He is also the men's 50-mile world record holder at 4:48:21 from Tunnel Hill in 2023.

"The 100k World Championships are equivalent to the Olympic Games at that distance," Lawrence told reporters before the race. "Having the opportunity to represent the United States, and chase a global title means everything."

The 33rd edition of the biennial event drew 248 starters from 44 federations. For the former University of Minnesota runner and three-time Olympic Marathon Trials qualifier, the day in Galicia added a world title to a record collection still growing.