Chronological coverage updated 11th September 2026 07:45.
Update 1 · 11th September 2026
World Athletics Launches $10m Ultimate Championship in Budapest
World Athletics has established the Ultimate Championship, a new biennial competition designed to maintain interest in track and field during non-Olympic and non-World Championship years. The inaugural event takes place across three evening sessions in Budapest, featuring a condensed format reserved for reigning Olympic, world, and Diamond League champions alongside top-ranked global athletes. Sources: BBC Sport.
Prize Money and Financial Commitments
The competition offers the highest prize fund in athletics history, providing substantial payouts across individual disciplines. Winners receive more than double the purse awarded at the previous year's World Championships, signaling a major financial investment by the governing body. Sources: BBC Sport.
World Athletics established a total prize purse of $10m (£7.4m), allocating $150,000 (£110,000) for event winners, $75,000 (£55,000) for runners-up, and $40,000 (£29,500) for third place. — according to World Athletics, as reported by BBC Sport.
Format Innovations and Event Exclusions
The championship incorporates several new fan- and athlete-focused elements, such as a red-carpet event, a lane draft for 200m competitors, augmented reality TV graphics, and a black infield designed to highlight active competition areas. Traditional medals have been replaced by a single trophy on a plinth for champions. Sources: BBC Sport.
Not all traditional disciplines are present. World Athletics excluded long-distance track races such as the 3,000m steeplechase and 10,000m, as well as throw events including the shot put and discus. These choices were determined using viewer data and biometric measurements, including fan sweat responses and pulse rates. Sources: BBC Sport.
Great Britain has selected a 22-athlete squad for the competition, led by Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson. Exceptional invitations were also extended to athletes who had not automatically qualified, including British runner Josh Kerr and Norway's Jakob Ingebrigtsen in the men's 1500m. Sources: BBC Sport.
- Inaugural 2026 event in Budapest features 28 finals with a record $10m prize purse.
- Disciplines were selected based on broadcast metrics and biometric audience measurements.
- Governing body intends to use the event as a testing ground for future World Championship formats.
Sources: BBC Sport
