Global charity running event: 2025 edition of Wings for Life Run sees more than 300,000 participate

On Sunday, for the 12th time, the world came together to run for those who can’t, with a record-breaking 310,719 participants of 191 nationalities set off simultaneously in 170 countries, running, walking or rolling for charity.

Participants are not expected to reach a finish line, but rather end the race when a “catcher car” passes ahead of them.

In the 2025 race, the runners covered an average of 12.4km each, for a total distance equivalent to nearly 64 times around the equator.

Jo Fukuda of Japan set a distance record for the event by reaching 71.67km as the men’s winner, while Germany’s Esther Pfeiffer achieved 59.03km in claiming the women’s title, becoming the country’s first-ever women’s global champion.

The event has been taking place every year since 2014.