The Joma athlete clocked 7:17:50 in Ames, setting a new Spanish record. She also claimed a silver medal with Spain in the team competition.
Gemma Arenas reached the podium at the IAU 100 km World Championships in Ames, A Coruña. The Joma athlete finished third in 7:17:50, earning the overall bronze medal, setting a Spanish record and establishing a new W45 world record.
The race took place on 20 September on an urban circuit in Bertamiráns. The athletes had to complete 20 laps of an almost five-kilometre course to cover the full distance.
Gemma Arenas remained among the leaders from the start. She reached approximately the 25 km mark in 1:32:02 and was in second place after 15 laps, with a time of 5:15:20. She secured third place on the overall world podium in the closing stages.
New Spanish 100 km record
The time recorded in Ames allowed Arenas to lower her own Spanish record by three minutes and seven seconds. The runner from Castilla-La Mancha had set the previous mark of 7:20:57 at the Spanish Championships in Malaga in March 2026, during her road 100 km debut.
Her new time also represented a W45 world record and earned her the world title in this age category. In just six months, Arenas improved her performance again over a distance in which she had already made an impact on her first appearance.
World team silver for Spain
Gemma Arenas’ performance also had a direct impact on the team standings, helping Spain claim the silver medal, behind Croatia and ahead of Finland.
The outcome in Ames can be summed up in four significant achievements for Gemma Arenas and Joma: overall bronze, a Spanish record, a W45 world record and team silver.
