World Athletics launches US$10m Ultimate Championship in Budapest
The invite-only three-day meet brings together Olympic and world champions under a condensed format that excludes several traditional events.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship has opened in Budapest, bringing together Olympic champions, world champions and leading performers from the 2026 World Rankings in a three-day competition running from 11 to 13 September.
World Athletics has announced a US$10 million prize pool for the invite-only meet. Winners of individual events will receive US$150,000, while second and third place will receive US$75,000 and US$40,000 respectively. Relay teams will share prize money, with US$80,000 allocated to the winners.
The championship is designed around a compressed programme, with events proceeding directly to semi-finals or finals rather than beginning with heats. The format also includes four attempts in throwing events, jump-offs for tied victories in vertical jumps and a mixed 4×100-metre relay.
Competitors will receive customised trophies instead of medals, as World Athletics promotes what it calls a reimagining of awards. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has described the event as providing global “bragging rights”, while eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt is serving as an ambassador.
The programme excludes shot put, triple jump, women’s hammer throw and discus, as well as the 3,000-metre steeplechase and 10,000 metres. World Athletics said the selections reflected viewership and a preference for faster-paced events.
The exclusions have drawn criticism from athletes including Olympic discus champion Matthew Denny and former world champion Pedro Pichardo, who questioned whether the focus on viewer interest should limit opportunities in field events. Al Jazeera reported that World Athletics plans for the championship to become a biennial fixture.
