 Márta Vass, IAU 100km European champion | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National team |  Hungary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1962-07-06)July 6, 1962 (age 63) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Ultramarathon | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | TOYOTA-Szupermaraton FC | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Márta Vass (Hungarian pronunciation: [ˈma:rtə ˈvɑːʃ], born July 6, 1962, inMarcali and raised inNemesdéd,Hungary) is aHungarianultramarathon runner, formerIAU100km European champion and multiple IAU 100 km World Championship medallist.
Vass is Hungary's first internationally recognized female ultra-runner. During her career she set several national records in the 100 km event.Her outstanding accomplishments include the European 100 kilometer Championship title in 1993.[1] At the same championship she led the Hungarian women’s team (includingÁgnes Bozán andTímea Bontovics) to the second place of the podium.Her top rivals included Great Britain'sHilary Walker andEleanor Adams-Robinson.
Vass also has four IAU 100 km World Championship medals under her belt: two silver ( Santander 1988, Palamos 1992) and two bronze (Duluth 1990, Faenza 1991) ones.
She took third place with a strong performance of 6 hours 51 minutes and 4 seconds behind world championsValentina Lyakhova (Валентина Васильевна Ляхова ) andValentina Shatyaeva (Шатяева, Валентина Николаевна) in the grueling up-run of theComrades Marathon in 1994.[2][3]
Vass was the five-time female winner of the renowned Night of Flanders 100 km raceDe Nacht van Vlaanderen organized inTorhout, Belgium during midsummer.[4]
Due to her four consecutive victories between 1990 and 1993, Vass became an iconic figure of the prestigiousVienna–Bratislava–Budapest Supermarathon, a five-day stage race covering over 350 km.
Being one of the handful Hungarian ultra-runners to have finished on the podium at IAU championships, Vass was inducted in the Hungarian Ultrarunners' Hall of Fame in January 2016.[5]
Vass is a teacher of mathematics and chemistry, living with her husband György Pék (former handball player and referee) and daughter Eszter inBudapest.
