Toni

Toni McCann is a professional trail and ultra-running athlete from South Africa. She grew up in rural Eswatini, where early experiences in natural spaces sparked a lifelong connection to the outdoors and a deep appreciation for the mountains. She later moved to Cape Town to study at the University of Cape Town, completing a Bachelor of Science in Human Physiology and Biochemistry followed by honours studies in Nutrition and Dietetics.

Surrounded by the trails and mountains of the Western Cape, Toni discovered trail running as both an outlet for exploration and a new way to test her limits. Her first major breakthrough came in 2018 at the Otter African Trail Run, which hosted the Golden Trail Series Final. Competing against an established international field, she claimed third place and announced herself as one of South Africa’s emerging talents on the global stage.

Over the seasons that followed, Toni steadily built her reputation across technical mountain races, ultra-distance events, and some of trail running’s most iconic courses. That progression culminated in a defining 2023 season, where she delivered a course-record victory at OCC by UTMB and established herself among the world’s elite. She carried that momentum into 2024 with a standout win at Broken Arrow Skyrace before capturing one of trail running’s most prestigious titles: victory at CCC during the UTMB World Series Final.

Today, Toni lives in France with her husband, Bastien, where she continues to train and compete at the highest level. Alongside racing, Toni's academic background in physiology and nutrition continues to shape her interest in how effective fuelling strategies can support performance, recovery and longevity in endurance sport. Beyond competition, she is passionate about increasing access to natural spaces, improving inclusivity and diversity in sport, and creating more opportunities for young women to discover trail running.