© Copyright – 2024 – Athletics Illustrated

British runner, Jasmin Paris, is the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons 100-mile race on Friday. No woman has completed the race since its inception in 1986. She had one minute and 29 seconds remaining on the clock before time ran out. There is a 60-hour cut-off in place for all runners.

Paris was one of five runners to complete the race this year. It takes place in Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee. At least half of the races have had no finishers whatsoever.

Paris was unable to finish in 2023.

The 40-year-old mother of two holds the course record for the Montane Spine Race which takes place in Northern England in 2019.

Canadian-Ukrainian Ihor Verys ran the fastest time at this year’s Barkley Marathons in 58:44:59.

American’s John Kelly and Jared Campbell finished second and third respectively and Greig Hamilton from New Zealand finished fourth.

The ultramarathon is the brainchild of former runner Gary Cantrell. The route was inspired by the 1977 prison escape of James Earl Ray, who assassinated the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.