World Team Championship Japan winner again
Won Japan’s race with 105 yards, one more than assist Kengo Takahashi.
Athlete profile · Sources reviewed Oct 23, 2026
Kazuhiro Kawahata
Japanese backyard record holder at 106 yards
Kazuhiro Kawahata holds Japan’s backyard record of 106 yards, set at Big Dog’s in 2025, and won Japan’s race at the 2026 World Team Championship with 105.
JapanSakai, Osaka, JapanM50
National champion at the World Team Championship · 105 yardsBackyard Ultra World Team Championship 2026 · National champion
Won the national race with 105 yards
Completed yard 105 alone as the last runner standing for Japan. Japan’s national race is over: the team finished on 1038 yards, 4th in the standings at this point.
Final results after yard 124 (16:07 UTC, 22 October), matching the organizer's official leaderboard. Organizer results ↗ Championship guide →
The record so far
Kazuhiro Kawahata is a Japanese ultrarunner from Sakai in Osaka Prefecture who holds his country’s backyard ultra record. At Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra in October 2025 he completed 106 yards for approximately 710.8 km, placing fifth overall and first in the M50 category. Big’s national-record table lists the mark as Japan’s best.
His backyard career is short. He won Last Samurai Standing in Kyoto in November 2023 with 42 yards, then won the Japan site of the 2024 World Team Championship with 92 yards, one yard ahead of Tokimasa Hirata. Around those races, DUV lists a long record of mountain 100-milers, 24-hour races in Kobe and a fourth place at the 2025 Hirosaki 6-day race with 833.220 km. He also finished the 169 km Lake Biwa 100 a week before his record run at Big’s.
Kawahata headed Japan’s official selection list for the 2026 Backyard Ultra World Team Championship on the strength of his 106-yard qualifier. He won Japan’s race with 105 yards, approximately 704.1 km, one ahead of Kengo Takahashi, and Japan finished with 1,038 team yards. As of October 2026, his 106 yards from 2025 rank eighth on the at-large list for Big’s 2027.
Defining performances
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106-yard Japanese backyard record
Completed 106 yards for approximately 710.8 km at Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra and placed fifth overall. Big’s national-record table lists the mark as Japan’s best.
World Team Championship Japan winner
Was the last runner standing at the Japan site of the 2024 World Team Championship with 92 yards, one more than Tokimasa Hirata’s 91. The 92 yards were the venue record at the time.
833 km at the Hirosaki 6days
Covered 833.220 km over six days in Hirosaki to place fourth overall and first in the M50 category.
Last Samurai Standing Kyoto winner
Won his first recorded backyard ultra with 42 yards in Kyoto, one yard ahead of Naota Takemura.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backyard Ultra World Team Championship 2026 · JapanBackyard ultraKengo Takahashi took the assist with 104 yards. | 105 yards · approximately 704.1 km | National winner | View ↗ | |
| OSJ Ontake 100 Mile Ultra Trail100-mile trail | 19:54:33 | 9th overall · 1st M50 | View ↗ | |
| Big Dog’s Backyard UltraBackyard ultra | 106 yards · approximately 710.8 km | 5th overall · Japanese record | View ↗ | |
| Lake Biwa 100169 km ultra | 30:37:18 | 14th overall · 1st M50 | View ↗ | |
| Hirosaki 6days Ultra Run6-day road race | 833.220 km | 4th overall · 1st M50 | View ↗ | |
| NOT12 Shioya Sanzan 100km Night100 km | 11:24:33 | 2nd overall | View ↗ | |
| Backyard Ultra World Team Championship — JapanBackyard ultra | 92 yards · approximately 616.9 km | Winner | View ↗ | |
| 24-hour relay & solo marathon Kobe24-hour | 195.500 km | 11th overall | View ↗ | |
| Last Samurai Standing Backyard Ultra — KyotoBackyard ultra | 42 yards · approximately 281.6 km | Winner | View ↗ | |
| OSJ Kami 7474 km | 8:48:50 | Winner | View ↗ |
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