World Athletics today announced the launch of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a groundbreaking new global championship event set to transform the athletics calendar and define which athlete is the best of the best – pitting world champions, Olympic champions, the Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s best performing athletes against each other, to crown the ultimate champion.
Highlighting this revolutionary competition is a record-setting prize pot of US$10 million, the largest ever offered in the history of track & field athletics – with gold medallists set to receive US$150,000. This innovative event, debuting 11-13 September 2026 and set to be held every two years, will first be hosted in Hungary’s capital city of Budapest, promising a spectacular conclusion to the summer athletics season.
Designed as the ultimate season finale with an aim to captivate millions of television viewers worldwide, the global championship event will feature a thrilling and fast-moving new format for athletics. Taking place over three evening sessions, each under three hours in duration, the Ultimate Championship will showcase the best of athletics, including sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, jumps, and throws, ensuring a spectacle that both existing and new fans will not want to miss. Athletes will represent their national teams to ensure that individual success is underpinned by national pride.
Setting a new benchmark for financial rewards in the sport, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship will feature a total prize pot of US$10 million, underscoring World Athletics' commitment to pay its athletes more, provide them with additional earning opportunities and increase their recognition. All athletes competing at the championship will be financially rewarded and the ultimate champions will receive US$150,000 each. Athletes will also benefit from greater promotional rights, allowing them to commercially activate and enhance their personal profiles.
Chosen following a competitive process – which saw interest from a number of major global cities – and after hosting arguably the most successful World Athletics Championships in history last year, Budapest will welcome nearly 400 of the world's top athletes for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship between 11-13 September 2026.
“With only the best of the best on show and cutting straight to semi finals and finals, we will create an immediate pressure to perform for athletes aiming to claim the title of the ultimate champion,” said World Athletics President Seb Coe. “The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will be high on action and excitement for fans, setting a new standard for track and field events. Featuring athletics’ biggest stars, it will be a must-watch global sports event and means track and field will host a major global championship in every single year, ensuring for the first time that athletics will enjoy a moment of maximum audience reach on an annual basis.”
“By embracing innovation and breaking away from traditional models, we are looking to reach a broader audience, particularly younger fans, and elevate the entire sport,” said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon. “There will be a strong focus on television audiences, with an aim to reach the biggest global audience possible. We also want to enhance the viewing experience, both at home and in the stadium, so we are looking at what new competition innovations can be introduced, all of which will be thoroughly tested in advance. We truly believe this will be a game changer for our entire sport.”
“Budapest is truly honored to be the inaugural host city for the highly innovative World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Having successfully hosted the 2023 World Athletics Championships, recent World Aquatics Championships, major UEFA events and many more, Budapest is ready to deliver again,” said Balázs Furjes, IOC member for Hungary and previous co-leader of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 organising committee. “Budapest is truly one of global sport’s capital cities and 2026 will be a very special year as we host the UEFA Champions league final in the new Puskás Arena and then later that summer the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in the brand new National Athletics Centre. Staging the Ultimate Championship will be a great chance to prove it again, in front of passionate, sport loving fans, to celebrate the athletes from all over the world. Because we just love sport and hosting the world.”
“After the success of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, Hungary started discussions with World Athletics about how could we remain active participants in the international field, adding value to the universal family of athletics. Hosting the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Championship is an excellent occasion to keep the pace and together with President Coe we have even more plans to deliver,” said Adam Schmidt, the State Secretary of Sports in Hungary. “These partnerships have a very positive impact on our national sport curriculum and Hungary is always happy to welcome the world in our magnificent capital city, Budapest.”
As World Athletics continues to prepare for this exciting new championship event, consultation with stakeholders – including athletes and their representitives, coaches, shoe companies, broadcast organisations, Member Federations and many others – will continue throughout the summer before a full event launch this coming Autumn.
Charlton claims sixth 100m hurdles title at BAAA Senior National Championships
World Indoor 60m champion and record holder Devynne Charlton officially booked her spot at this summer’s Paris Olympics by claiming her sixth Bahamian 100m hurdles title on day two at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations (BAAA) Senior National Championships at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau on Thursday.
The highlight of day two was the women’s 100 meters hurdles final where Charlton was expected to be challenged by the versatile Charisma Taylor and 30-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II All-American Denisha Cartwright.
In the end, Charlton comfortably took the win in 12.62 seconds while Taylor was a distant second in 12.94 seconds. Cartwright rounded out the top three with 13.01 seconds.
All three are headed to the Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11 in Paris, France.
Texas Tech sophomore and former World U-20 Champion Antoine Andrews took the men’s 110m hurdles crown with a new personal best 13.34, eclipsing the previous national record 13.35 he shared with Jahmaal Wilson.
Rasheem Brown of the Cayman Islands was second in 13.50 while Otto Laing finished third in 14.03 seconds.
Due to a scheduling conflict, former world and current Olympic Champion Steven Gardiner missed the men’s 400m final last night. It was up to Wendell Miller and Grand Bahamian Alonzo Russell to carry the mantle.
However, they would fall short of the qualifying standard for the Olympics of 45 seconds flat.
Miller won the national title in 45.65 seconds. Russell finished second in 46.06 seconds and Gregory Seymour was third in 47.54 seconds.
The women’s 400m final, featuring former world and current Olympic Champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo and the lady who beat her in the heats Javonya Valcourt, will be ran on Friday.
Over to the field events, Shyrone Kemp pulled off an upset in the men’s long jump, winning that event with a leap of 7.66m. LaQuan Nairn, an 8m-plus jumper, had to settle for second with a jump of 7.58m while Jalen Cadet finished third with a jump of 7.16m.
Nairn has a personal best leap of 8.22m and the qualifying distance for the Olympics is 8.27m.
Anthaya Charlton won the women’s long jump event with a leap of 5.99m. Apryl Adderley was a distant second with a leap of 5.16m. The qualifying distance for the Olympics is 6.86m.
Thompson stuns with 9.82 in Men’s 100m heats at JAAA National Senior Championships; Seville, Blake also dip below 10 seconds to advance to semi-finals
Kishane Thompson produced a stunning performance in the heats of the Men’s 100m on day one of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.
The Stephen Francis-coached sprinter produced a personal best 9.82, the joint, second fastest time in the world this year, to win the second heat. Ackeem Blake also went below 10 seconds for the first time this season with 9.95 to finish second behind Thompson in that heat and advance.
Sandrey Davison (10.00) and Sachin Dennis (10.04) both also made it through to Friday’s semi-finals from heat two after producing new personal bests while Nigel Ellis was the fifth semi-finalist from that heat with a time of 10.13.
Oblique Seville, who produced fourth place finishes at both the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, looked super comfortable on his way to 9.98 to win heat one ahead of Bryan Levell (10.07) and Jehlani Gordon (10.09). Levell’s time is a new personal best.
Julian Forte produced a confident 10.00 to win the third heat ahead of defending National champion Rohan Watson (10.07) and Tyquendo Tracey (10.09). Jazeel Murphy produced a personal best 10.11 to also make it through from that heat alongside Travis Williams whose 10.13 was also enough to make it through.
2023 World Championship finalist Ryiem Forde won the fourth and final heat in 10.02 ahead of Kadrian Goldson (10.12) and Jelani Walker (10.21).
The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Friday.
Fraser-Pryce, Jackson ease through to Women’s 100m semis at JAAA National Senior Championships
Two-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and two-time World 200m champion Shericka Jackson officially got their bids to make it to the Paris Olympics underway by getting through to the semi-finals of the Women’s 100m on day one of the JAAA National Senior and Junior Championships at the National Stadium in Kingston on Thursday.
Fraser-Pryce, in her second race of the season, eased to a season’s best time of 10.98 to advance to Friday’s semi-finals as the fastest qualifier.
Tia Clayton ran a personal best 11.02 to also advance from Fraser-Pryce’s heat while Ashanti Moore ran 11.24 in third to also advance.
Jackson also looked in cruise control, jogging to a season’s best 10.99 to win her heat. Jodean Williams came agonizingly close to dipping below the 11-second barrier for the first time with a personal best 11.01 in second while Alana Reid also advanced with 11.20 in third. Niesha Burgher's 11.32 was also enough to take her through.
The third heat produced five semi-finalists with Natasha Morrison (11.12), Kemba Nelson (11.16), Shockoria Wallace (11.24), Briana Williams (11.25) and Lanae-Tava Thomas (11.27) all getting through to the semis.
Shashalee Forbes (11.03), Krystal Sloley (11.12), Tina Clayton (11.13) and Jonielle Smith (11.23) advanced to the semi-finals from heat four.
The semi-finals and final are scheduled for Friday.
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