Greatest distance covered in 24 hours by wheelchair (female)

The greatest distance covered in 24 hours by wheelchair (female) is 164.88 km (102.45 mi), and was achieved by Anna Louise Svensson (Sweden), in Växjö, Sweden, on 26 April 2025.

Anna attempted this record as part of her mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible while living with a disability. In 2019, she broke her back and became paralyzed from the waist down, losing the life she had known in an instant. Since then, she has dedicated herself to intense training over six years in an effort to reclaim her independence and redefine her limits.

After completing several races, including marathons, in the previous year, Anna felt it was time to take on a bigger challenge and show that using a wheelchair doesn’t mean she can’t participate in ultramarathons. She found a local event and had reached out to the organiser in 2024 to ask if she could compete. Although gaining approval involved considerable back-and-forth with the Swedish Athletics Association, she was eventually granted permission to race.

Anna pursued this challenge not only for herself but also to pave the way for others in similar situations. Her participation has already had a broader impact: as a result of this race, the Swedish Athletics Federation has begun reviewing record standards for wheelchair athletes, and Anna has since been approved to participate in more ultramarathon events across Sweden.