PABIANICE, POLAND – Belgian endurance athlete Matthieu Bonne is pushing the boundaries of human capability once again as he takes on a formidable challenge at the GOMU World Championship in Poland: running more than 473 kilometres in less than 48 hours.
The 31-year-old from Ostend, Flanders, began his record-breaking attempt at midday on Thursday, 30 May, in the central Polish city of Pabianice.
Competing against 220 other participants on a closed-loop circuit of 1.725 kilometres, Bonne is aiming to break a 30-year-old world record for the longest distance run in a two-day period—without sleep or extended breaks.
“If I want to achieve this, I can’t stop,” Bonne told A New Agency World before the race. “No sleep, no real breaks. Over 475 kilometres in one single push. At no point can I drop below six minutes per kilometre, or I simply won’t make it.”
Bonne’s name is already etched in endurance sports history. Since 2017, he has travelled the globe completing extreme physical challenges, amassing three world records across three disciplines.
In March 2023, he cycled an astonishing 3,619 kilometres solo across Arizona in seven days, setting the world record for the greatest distance covered by bike in that period.
In September of the same year, he swam the longest continuous, unassisted ocean distance off the coast of Greece.
And in September 2024, he surpassed a two-decade-old running record by covering 1,046 kilometres in 144 hours at the 6 Days Ultraran in Hungary. Bonne’s preparation for the Polish ultra-marathon has been meticulous.
After a respiratory infection forced him to abandon a similar attempt in Taiwan earlier this year, the Belgian athlete focused on core strength training and intense foot endurance to build back stronger. According to his support team, he is now in peak physical condition.
“He’s fully recovered and stronger than ever,” said a member of his team. “He’s never felt so rested, confident, and ready for a challenge of this magnitude.”
Despite being the only Belgian competitor in the field, Bonne is considered one of the top contenders to take the world title. He is accompanied by a team of experienced professionals who will closely monitor his hydration, nutrition, pacing, and mental focus throughout the event.
A group of Belgian supporters has also travelled to Poland to offer encouragement during critical moments of the race. “They said this 30-year-old record was untouchable,” Bonne said confidently. “They also said that about the 6-Day World Record, until I broke that too.”
The race is set to conclude on Saturday, 1 June at midday, marking 48 continuous hours of running. Supporters can follow Bonne’s journey via the official Facebook page of the GOMU event or on his personal Instagram account, where updates are being posted throughout the race.
As he runs against the clock—and history—Bonne hopes to inspire others to challenge their limits, proving once again that records are made to be broken.
