World Athletics unveils Ultimate Championship in September, record Sh1.3 billion prize pool

World Athletics unveils Ultimate Championship in September, record Sh1.3 billion prize pool
World Athletics unveils Ultimate Championship in September, record Sh1.3 billion prize pool - Graphic illustration of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship scheduled for Budapest, Hungary from September 11-13. (Photo: World Athletics)
Graphic illustration of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship scheduled for Budapest, Hungary from September 11-13. (Photo: World Athletics)

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The event will offer a record $10 million (Sh1.3 billion) prize purse, the largest in track and field history, with individual champions set to earn $150,000 (Sh19.4 million ) and every participating athlete guaranteed prize money.

World Athletics will stage the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, from September 11-13, bringing together Olympic champions, World champions and Diamond League winners in a new three-day competition designed to crown athletics’ ultimate champions.
The event will offer a record $10 million (Sh1.3 billion) prize purse, the largest in track and field history, with individual champions set to earn $150,000 (Sh19.4 million ) and every participating athlete guaranteed prize money.
The Championship programme will feature 28 finals across three days of competition, bringing together men’s and women’s events in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, hurdles, pole vault, high jump, long jump and javelin. The schedule will also include the women’s triple jump, men’s hammer throw, and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

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Unlike traditional championships built around national teams, the Championship will have no country quotas. Automatic invitations have been extended to 2024 Olympic champions and 2025 World champions, while winners of this year’s Wanda Diamond League will also secure places at the Budapest event.
The competition format will also differ from existing major championships, with organisers designing a condensed schedule that prioritises each event and athlete. Each three-hour session will feature a horizontal jump, a vertical jump, a throwing event and track finals, with only one field event contested at a time whenever possible.
According to World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, the new championship represents an attempt to create a different experience for athletes and fans.

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“We have said from the very beginning that we are doing things differently with the Ultimate Championship,” Coe said in a statement on Tuesday.
“These innovations offer a taste of how we intend to move the sport forward with this brand-new global championship, elevating athletics and its many stars while reimagining how fans will experience the inaugural edition.”
The championship will also break with tradition by not awarding medals. Instead, Ultimate Champions will receive a specially designed trophy, while all invited athletes will receive a unique participation token that forms part of the overall award concept.
Beyond the competition, World Athletics is introducing new ways for athletes and fans to engage with the event. Athletes will receive official footage and photography from the championship, while fans will have access to updated broadcast features, live performance data and a new mobile app combining results, videos and athlete stories.

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