‘Our stars rose’

The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship concluded in Budapest on Sunday after three days of high-quality competition, sold-out sessions and a positive response from athletes, fans and media inside the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre and around the world.

Bringing together many of the world’s leading athletes in a compact, high-stakes championship format, the Ultimate Championship delivered a series of memorable head-to-head contests as 28 champions were crowned.

The championship was also conceived as a platform for innovation, trialling new competition formats, technology, event presentation and ways for athletes to engage with fans. Early feedback from spectators, athletes and broadcasters has been highly encouraging.

All three sessions were sold out, with 61,671 spectators attending across the three evenings.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said the response to the Ultimate Championship had demonstrated the concept’s potential.

“It has always been my mantra that athletes must be front and centre – this inaugural edition of the Ultimate Championship captured that unequivocally,” said Coe.

“This new global championship provided the platform, and our stars rose to the occasion, showcasing not only their athletics prowess as the best battled the best, but also their personalities, on and off the field of play.

“The response we have received across key stakeholders has been positive and all feedback will help to make this event even bigger and better in future. We must also repeat our thanks to Budapest and the Hungarian government for their support. I am very grateful that the government and municipal authorities have stepped up and delivered an incredible event which was watched by full crowds and audiences across the globe.”

A total of 352 athletes from 65 member federations participated in the Ultimate Championship, with Olympic champions, world champions, Wanda Diamond League champions, world record holders and the season’s leading performers going head-to-head.

Athletes from 18 countries were crowned Ultimate champions: Algeria, Botswana, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Germany, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Greece, Italy, Japan, Norway, Poland, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine and the United States.