Ruy Ueda performs during Running the Length of an Entire Country project in Malta on February 1, 2023.
Ruy Ueda celebrates finishing One Stroke at Mt. Fuji, Japan, on July 13, 2022.

Ruy
Ueda

Japan

Japan

·

Ultrarunning

A Japanese ultrarunner, Ruy Ueda has an attacking approach that's brought him victory in some of the world's most prestigious high-altitude races.

Date of birth

October 3, 1993

Birthplace

Nagano Prefecture

Age

30

Nationality

Japan

Japan

Career start

2013

Disciplines

Mountainrunning

Born and raised in Nagano, Japan, Ruy Ueda has always been sporty, but it wasn't running that initially occupied his energy. He spent his elementary and junior-high school years enthusiastically playing soccer, and it wasn't until he moved up to high school that he started running seriously. There, he joined the ekiden club – ekiden is a traditional Japanese long-distance relay format – and his talent began to emerge.

While at university, he took part in his first ultramarathon, the Tokyo Shibamata 100K, and finished fifth. The performance was enough to impress sponsors, which in turn led to him competing in some of the world's most famous high-altitude races – such as Japan's Hasetsune Cup, the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc's CCC route, and the Gran Sasso Sky Race – posting impressive results at each.