Helga Backhaus

About

Helga Backhaus is a German ultramarathon runner, born January 19, 1953, and one of the sport's most decorated European stalwarts of the 1990s. She won the Spartathlon four times between 1994 and 1997, took the German 100km title in 1992, and won the Leipzig 100km in 2001. At the European 24-hour Championships she medalled repeatedly, taking silver in 1992, 1993, and 1999 and bronze in 2001. She is also a nine-time sub-24-hour finisher of the Western States 100, a run she completed for the tenth time after four years spent recovering from a severe leg injury that doctors feared might leave her unable to walk again. She is an honorary member of the Deutsche Ultramarathon-Vereinigung (DUV), Germany's ultramarathon association, and represented VfR Wilsche-Neubokel across her career.

Notable Wins

• — Spartathlon champion (1994-1997
• — 4x)
• — German 100km champion (1992)
• — European 24-Hour Championships silver (1992
• — 1993
• — 1999) and bronze (2001)
• — Leipzig 100km winner (2001)

Race History