First Canadian Barkley finisher
Completed all five loops in 58:44:59 on his first attempt and was the first finisher of the year’s field.
Athlete profile · Sources reviewed Oct 23, 2026
Ihor Verys
First Canadian Barkley finisher and 107-yard Big’s assist
Ukrainian-born Canadian Ihor Verys completed 107 yards at Big’s Backyard Ultra in 2023 and became the first Canadian Barkley Marathons finisher in 2024.
CanadaChilliwack, British ColumbiaM30–34
The record so far
Ihor Verys is a Ukrainian-born Canadian ultrarunner based in Chilliwack, British Columbia. He entered his first organized ultra race in 2021 and quickly built a record across technical 100-mile races, mountain ultras, and the backyard format.
At the 2023 Big’s Backyard Ultra, Verys completed 107 yards, a Canadian backyard record, and recorded the assist to Harvey Lewis, who continued for the winning 108th yard. The performance covered nearly 446 miles and established Verys among the format’s deepest performers. A year earlier he had won Canada’s 2022 World Team Championship race with 67 yards.
In March 2024, Verys completed five loops at the Barkley Marathons in 58:44:59 on his first attempt. He was the first finisher of that year’s field and the first Canadian to finish the event. Earlier that season, he won the HURT 100 in 20:50:09.
Defining performances
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Big’s Backyard Ultra assist
Completed 107 yards before Harvey Lewis secured the win on yard 108. The 107 yards remain the Canadian record, and Yardlore lists them as the men’s 20–29 world best.
HURT 100 champion
Won the technical Hawaiian 100-miler in 20:50:09.
Badger Mountain course record
Won the 100-mile race in 15:44:10 and established a course record.
Performance history
Selected results, not a complete race history. Rankings and record descriptions reflect the cited sources at their review dates. Distances may use different rounding conventions.
| Date | Event | Performance | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffer on Centennial100 km trail | 9:07:57 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Barkley MarathonsFive-loop mountain ultra | 58:44:59 | Finisher · First finisher of the 2024 field | View ↗ | |
| HURT 100100-mile trail | 20:50:09 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Big’s Backyard UltraBackyard ultra | 107 yards | Assist | View ↗ | |
| Canadian Death Race118 km trail | 12:36:11 | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Badger Mountain Challenge100-mile trail | 15:44:10 | Winner · Course record | View ↗ | |
| Backyard Ultra World Team Championships — CanadaBackyard ultra | 67 yards · 449.302 km | Winner | View ↗ | |
| Fat Dog 120120-mile trail | 29:16:44 | Winner | View ↗ |
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