Korean athlete tops UTMB rankings as Kolon Sport flexes trail-running muscle

Kolon Sport, the outdoor brand operated by Kolon FnC, said Thursday it is continuing to expand its trail-running presence into the fall/winter season.

The brand officially launched its "Kolon Athlete" team this year, signing top domestic trail runners including Kim Ji-su, Kim Young-jo, Ahn Ki-hyun, Yang Ju-ha and Kang Min-gu. It provided full support to Kim Ji-su, Kang Min-gu and Ahn Ki-hyun for their participation in UTMB Mont-Blanc 2026, held in Chamonix, France, from Sept. 27 to 29, supplying dedicated race apparel and organizing on-site course adaptation training.

UTMB is the world's largest trail-running event, taking runners across unmarked mountain paths and open terrain. It is held annually in late August across the Mont Blanc massif, spanning France, Italy and Switzerland, with Chamonix as its hub.

The Kolon Athlete team delivered strong results at this year's race. In the flagship UTMB event — a roughly 173.6-kilometer course drawing 2,300 competitors — Kim Ji-su finished in 29 hours, 39 minutes and 5 seconds, placing second among Korean runners and 301st overall. In the OCC event (about 61.4 kilometers, 1,800 entrants), Kang Min-gu crossed the line in 7 hours, 45 minutes and 47 seconds to claim first among Korean finishers and 181st overall, while Ahn Ki-hyun recorded a time of 10 hours, 27 minutes and 43 seconds for fourth among Koreans and 569th overall.

Kolon Sport is set to launch its fall/winter 2026 trail-running collection in earnest. The lineup comprises 16 high-performance pieces spanning apparel, footwear and accessories. Items designed to deliver peak performance in demanding conditions — including a lightweight waterproof jacket, a hybrid hooded zip-up, waterproof pants and stretch leggings — will anchor the brand's push into the market.

"We will continue to expand our influence in the trail-running market through the release of a highly refined full collection in the second half of the year," a Kolon Sport official said.