SYDNEY, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese trail runner Yao Miao claimed the women's 50km title at the 2026 Ultra-Trail Australia by UTMB on Saturday, while compatriot Qin Guidu finished runner-up in the men's 100km race.
The women's 50km event featured one of the most anticipated matchups of the competition, with Yao facing New Zealand star Ruth Croft.
The 29-year-old Chinese established runner, winner of the OCC category (50km) at the 2025 UTMB Mont-Blanc and the first Asian woman to claim three titles across different UTMB categories, was up against Croft, winner of the 2025 UTMB category (100 miles) and one of the world's top female trail runners.
Yao quickly moved into the lead after the start and stayed on top throughout the race. After passing the 40km mark, she had built an advantage of nearly three minutes.
"There wasn't really a specific race strategy," Yao said to Xinhua after the race. "The main goal was to complete a quality intensity session. My coach wanted me to stay conservative over the first 25 kilometers."
However, Croft launched a strong comeback in the closing stages. The final nine kilometers featured nearly 800 meters of climbing, including a section in the last kilometer with gradients reaching 41 percent, where the gap between the two runners narrowed significantly.
Yao eventually surged again in the closing stretch and crossed the finish line first in four hours, 33 minutes and 12 seconds, while Croft finished second in 4:34:42.
"When she started catching up, I definitely felt the pressure," Yao added. "Originally I treated this race as a high-quality training session and didn't expect her to push so hard at the end. In the final two kilometers, she was almost on my heels, and I had to give everything I had. Those were the toughest two kilometers of the entire race."
In the men's 100km race, Chinese runner Qin finished second in 9:09:41. Qin led through the first 45 kilometers before being overtaken by Australian runner Michael Dunstan, who eventually claimed the title.
Ultra-Trail Australia is one of the key races in the UTMB World Series and one of the most influential trail-running events in Oceania. The race takes place in Australia's Blue Mountains National Park, part of the Greater Blue Mountains Area, which was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2000. ■
