When Usain Bolt walked on to the stage at Tokyo&rsquo;s&nbsp;Ultimate Media Party, the crowd erupted as if reliving the thunderclaps of Beijing and London. But this time, the lightning belonged not to his legs, but to a new spark for athletics. Named the sport&rsquo;s first&nbsp;Ultimate Legend, Bolt passed the torch &ndash; symbolically, if not literally &ndash; to a new generation preparing to redefine what it means to be the best.
The&nbsp;inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, taking place in Budapest on 11-13 September 2026, promises to reshape track and field&rsquo;s identity: three days, no heats, no second chances &ndash; just the world&rsquo;s finest athletes competing head-to-head for the title of&nbsp;Ultimate Champion. For Bolt, whose name has long been shorthand for greatness, the innovation feels not like a departure but a long-overdue evolution.
&ldquo;Every other sport has been developing and changing over the years,&rdquo; Bolt said, his trademark grin turning reflective. &ldquo;To see track and field moving in that direction and trying something different &ndash; it&rsquo;s wonderful. This will be a big deal; a title people will respect for years to come.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/68c2de765322eadf4370abd2.jpg" alt="Usain Bolt at the Ultimate media party" />
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Usain Bolt at the Ultimate Media Party (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Will Palmer)
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It&rsquo;s an evolution built on boldness, both in design and spirit. World pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis, announced as the first&nbsp;Ultimate Star, has been among the loudest champions of the idea.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m super excited about it,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s bold, action-packed, and honestly, it&rsquo;s a much-needed step for athletics. I believe in the product because it gives us a chance to present our sport in a new, exciting way.&rdquo;
For the Swede, who already holds multiple Olympic and world gold medals, Budapest represents more than another title &ndash; it&rsquo;s a chance to carve his name into a new stratum of history.
&ldquo;If I win, I&rsquo;ll have something that even Usain won&rsquo;t have,&rdquo; Duplantis said with a smile. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s going to be the pinnacle of our season. Every athlete will go into it with pride, because it&rsquo;s not just about yourself &ndash; you&rsquo;re representing your country, your sport, and what comes next.&rdquo;
That &ldquo;next&rdquo; might be precisely what the sport has been searching for: a stage built for global audiences with shorter formats, clear narratives and higher stakes. As Bolt put it: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about bringing the best of the best together &ndash; making it easier to watch, more exciting, and showing the world what we really have.&rdquo;
Multiple Olympic and world &nbsp;triple jump champion Christian Taylor agrees. Though retired from competition, his enthusiasm for innovation is undimmed.
&ldquo;As a former athlete, I&rsquo;m jealous,&rdquo; he laughed. &ldquo;For entertainment, fan engagement &ndash; this is fantastic. We can&rsquo;t keep doing the same things. We have to try, and this is a great effort. It&rsquo;s going to be a historic show.&rdquo;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/690a704df555b0faad20aa51.jpg" alt="Christian Taylor and Sally Pearson at the Ultimate Media Party in Tokyo" />
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Christian Taylor and Sally Pearson at the Ultimate Media Party in Tokyo (&copy; World Athletics <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,CiAgICA8c3ZnIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyIgd2lkdGg9IjE2IiBoZWlnaHQ9IjE2IiB2aWV3Qm94PSIwIDAgNDgwIDM2MCI+CiAgICAgIDxnIHRyYW5zZm9ybT0idHJhbnNsYXRlKDAsMzYwKSBzY2FsZSgwLjEsLTAuMSkiIGZpbGw9IiNCMkIyQjIiPgogICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGQ9Ik0xOTA1IDMxODIgYy0xMjYgLTQ0IC0xODcgLTEwMCAtMjUzIC0yMzMgbC00NyAtOTQgLTM1MCAtNSBjLTMyNiAtNQogICAgICAgIC0zNTQgLTYgLTQwMSAtMjYgLTE0NyAtNjAgLTI0NiAtMTgwIC0yNzQgLTMzMSAtMTQgLTc2IC0xNCAtMTY1OSAwIC0xNzM0IDMxCiAgICAgICAgLTE2NyAxNzMgLTMxMyAzMzggLTM0OCAzNyAtOCA0NzYgLTExIDE0OTAgLTExIDE1NDMgMCAxNDgwIC0yIDE1ODggNTAgMTA0IDUxCiAgICAgICAgMjAwIDE4MSAyMjQgMzA1IDggNDMgMTAgMzAwIDggOTEwIGwtMyA4NTAgLTIzIDU2IGMtNDcgMTEyIC0xNDEgMjA2IC0yNTIgMjUyCiAgICAgICAgLTUyIDIxIC03MiAyMiAtNDA1IDI3IGwtMzUwIDUgLTQ2IDk1IGMtNTQgMTEyIC0xMDYgMTY2IC0yMDcgMjEzIGwtNjcgMzIKICAgICAgICAtNDYwIDIgYy00MTYgMyAtNDY1IDEgLTUxMCAtMTV6IG05NzIgLTIzNyBjMTggLTEzIDUyIC02OCA5MyAtMTUwIDQyIC04MyA3NQogICAgICAgIC0xMzcgOTMgLTE1MCAyNyAtMTkgNDcgLTIwIDQxNSAtMjUgNDM4IC02IDQyNyAtNCA0ODcgLTg5IGwzMCAtNDMgMyAtODM2IGMyCiAgICAgICAgLTYxMCAwIC04NDggLTggLTg3NiAtMTcgLTU2IC01NCAtMTAyIC0xMDQgLTEyNSAtNDIgLTIxIC01MSAtMjEgLTE0ODggLTIxCiAgICAgICAgbC0xNDQ1IDAgLTQ0IDIzIGMtMjkgMTYgLTU0IDQwIC03NCA3MiBsLTMwIDQ4IDAgODUxIGMwIDg0NCAwIDg1MSAyMSA4OTEgMTEKICAgICAgICAyMiA0MCA1NCA2MyA3MCBsNDMgMzAgMzg4IDUgYzM2OSA1IDM5MCA2IDQxNyAyNSAxOCAxMyA1MCA2NCA4OCAxNDEgMzMgNjcgNjcKICAgICAgICAxMjkgNzUgMTM5IDM2IDQzIDUzIDQ1IDUxMiA0MiA0MjIgLTIgNDM4IC0zIDQ2NSAtMjJ6Ii8+CiAgICAgICAgPHBhdGggZD0iTTIzMDAgMjQ1MSBjLTM4MiAtNTQgLTY3MSAtMzYzIC02OTcgLTc0NiAtMjEgLTMxOCAxNjEgLTYyNyA0NTIKICAgICAgICAtNzY2IDEyNiAtNjAgMTg5IC03NCAzNTAgLTc0IDExOSAwIDE1MSA0IDIxNSAyMyAyNzYgODcgNDgwIDI5NiA1NTYgNTcyIDI1CiAgICAgICAgOTAgMjYgMjk5IDEgMzkwIC03OCAyODggLTMwMCA1MDkgLTU4OSA1ODQgLTcxIDE4IC0yMTYgMjcgLTI4OCAxN3ogbTI3MCAtMjQ5CiAgICAgICAgYzE5NyAtNjggMzM0IC0yMTQgMzg1IC00MDcgNzQgLTI4NyAtMTA0IC01OTkgLTM5MCAtNjg0IC0xMDEgLTMwIC0yNjcgLTI3CiAgICAgICAgLTM2MCA3IC0xNzQgNjQgLTMyNyAyNDAgLTM2NCA0MjAgLTYyIDMwNSAxMzUgNjA4IDQzOSA2NzcgODIgMTkgMjE1IDEyIDI5MAogICAgICAgIC0xM3oiLz4KICAgICAgPC9nPgogICAgPC9zdmc+CiAgICA=" alt="photographer icon" /> Christel Saneh)
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Taylor also sees opportunity in the structure itself &ndash; a season built around a single, dramatic climax. &ldquo;It gives athletes something to be excited for,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;To peak for that moment. Financially, it&rsquo;s huge too. But more than that, the title of&nbsp;Ultimate Champion &ndash; that&rsquo;s powerful.&rdquo;
Among those already assured of a place in Budapest is Dominica&rsquo;s Thea LaFond, who was crowned Olympic triple jump champion in Paris. For her, the Ultimate Championship promises not only competition, but connection.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s the accessibility,&rdquo; she explained. &ldquo;It allows fans to connect with us more easily &ndash; to see us as people with families, with stories. And I love the one-and-done format. It&rsquo;s pressure, but it&rsquo;s fun &ndash; for us and for the crowd.&rdquo;
LaFond also praised the event&rsquo;s financial structure, calling it &ldquo;priceless.&rdquo; &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had times when athletes weren&rsquo;t paid what they&rsquo;re worth,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Knowing that you&rsquo;ll give your all and be guaranteed your reward &ndash; it changes everything.&rdquo;
Sally Pearson, the 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles champion and now coach, echoed that sentiment from a generational perspective. &ldquo;I wish I&rsquo;d had something like this,&rdquo; she admitted. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a sign of respect &ndash; to bring only the very best together. The world is changing fast, and our sport has to keep up. The next generation will be the ones driving it.&rdquo;
And perhaps that&rsquo;s the ultimate message of the Ultimate Party: a celebration not just of nostalgia, but of renewal. Bolt, Duplantis, LaFond, Taylor, Pearson &ndash; legends and stars in the same room, united by a single idea. Track and field is not done evolving.
Ainhoa Serrano for World Athletics Produced as part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/news/press-releases/media-academy-new-talent-journalism-photography-commentary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Media Academy</a> project

World Athletics Ultimate Championships

When Usain Bolt walked on to the stage at Tokyo’s Ultimate Media Party, the crowd erupted as if reliving the thunderclaps of Beijing and London

Bolt, Duplantis and a new era: athletics looks to its Ultimate future

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that Algeria&rsquo;s former World Athletics Council Member Jamel Simohamed died on 13 October at the age of 85.
Simohamed held senior positions within both the IAAF (now World Athletics) and the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA). He was a lifelong contributor to athletics and youth development at international, continental and national levels, and held the position of Chair of the IAAF School and Youth Commission from 2005 to 2014.
Simohamed was born on 15 January 1940 and became a multiple national champion in the 800m and 1500m, as well as a 1500m finalist at the inaugural African Games in 1965, during his own athletics career.&nbsp;
He also studied sport and physical education teaching in Strasbourg during that time, and went on to become a teacher, trainer and coach who devoted his life to developing Algerian and international sport.
At a national level, Simohamed was technical director in athletics before becoming president of the Algerian Athletics Federation and the Algerian Federation of School Sport.
He was a member of the Confederation of African Athletics and was technical delegate at numerous continental and international events, including the World Championships and Olympic Games. He was also a member of the Cross Country and Road Running Committee from 1984 to 1991.
But his biggest impact came in sports development, particularly in the field of youth participation and coach education. The programmes he helped to build, such as Kids&rsquo; Athletics, continue to grow today.
Under Simohamed&rsquo;s guidance, the School and Youth Commission became a cornerstone of the IAAF&rsquo;s development strategy. He helped to take the Kids&rsquo; Athletics programme to more than 50 Member Federations through partnerships with national education ministries.
He believed in education as the foundation of athletic excellence, ensuring that coach and lecturer certification programmes reached every continent, and was deeply engaged in making sure that athletics remained a sport for life.
World Athletics

Jamel Simohamed, 1940-2025

Former World Athletics Council Member Simohamed dies

The 12 Athlete of the Year finalists have been confirmed, as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2025 continues.
The top two athletes in each category &ndash; track, field and out of stadium &ndash; have been chosen from the first round of voting, which comprised votes from the World Athletics Council, World Athletics Family and a public vote on social media. One of the two athletes will take the crown in their category.
A final round of voting &ndash; cast by fans of the sport &ndash; will now take place between 4-9 November to help select the overall women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s World Athlete of the Year.
<h2><a href="https://eu.research.net/r/Z6JL535" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vote now</a></h2>
<h3> Finalists</h3>
Women&rsquo;s track athlete of the year Femke Bol (NED) &ndash; world 400m hurdles champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA) &ndash; world 400m champion
Men&rsquo;s track athlete of the year Noah Lyles (USA) &ndash; world 200m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi (KEN) &ndash; world 800m champion
Women&rsquo;s field athlete of the year Tara Davis-Woodhall (USA) &ndash; world long jump champion Nicola Olyslagers (AUS) &ndash; world high jump champion
Men&rsquo;s field athlete of the year Mondo Duplantis (SWE) &ndash; world pole vault champion Mattia Furlani (ITA) &ndash; world long jump champion
Women&rsquo;s out of stadium athlete of the year Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) &ndash; world marathon champion Maria Perez (ESP) &ndash; world 20km and 35km race walk champion
Men&rsquo;s out of stadium athlete of the year Sabastian Sawe (KEN) &ndash; London Marathon and Berlin Marathon champion Alphonce Simbu (TAN) &ndash; world marathon champion
The Athletes of the Year in each category, as well as the overall winners, will be revealed at a ceremony in Monaco on Sunday 30 November as part of the World Athletics Awards 2025.
World Athletics

The 12 Athlete of the Year finalists have been confirmed, as the countdown to the World Athletics Awards 2025 continues

Finalists announced for 2025 Athlete of the Year awards

World Athletics is deeply saddened to hear that legendary US sprints coach Clyde Hart died on Saturday (1) at the age of 91 after a lengthy battle with cancer.
Best known for guiding Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner and Sanya Richards-Ross to multiple world and Olympic titles, Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest 400m coaches in history.
Hart&rsquo;s journey in the sport began as a sprinter in Arkansas, where he tied the 100 yards state record in high school. He went on to study at Baylor University, and he returned there in 1963 as head coach of the track and field programme, a role he held until he stepped away from head coaching in 2005 and then later from his director role in 2019.
Throughout his career, Hart coached nine Olympians who amassed more than a dozen gold medals. He also produced 29 NCAA champions.
His outstanding contribution to the sport was recognised by World Athletics in 2009 when Hart was awarded the Coach of the Year award. Prior to that, in 2004 and 2006, he was named coach of the year by USATF.
Johnson has previously described Hart as &ldquo;one of the greatest coaches ever&rdquo;. The multiple world and Olympic champion said: &ldquo;Teacher, mentor, friend, father figure &ndash; he&rsquo;s been each of those for me since 1986.&rdquo;
&ldquo;The selflessness, love, dedication and passion he poured into me and countless others is unparalleled,&rdquo; Richards-Ross said in an Instagram post. &ldquo;We journeyed together for 13 years, attempting each year to be the best in the world. We achieved that and so much more. His unwavering support and love for me beyond my track prowess made us more like family than colleagues and it&rsquo;s that love and friendship I&rsquo;ll always cherish most.&rdquo;
Hart is survived by his wife Maxine and their family.
World Athletics

Clyde Hart, 1934-2025

US sprints coach Hart dies

The biggest stars of global athletics can begin to plot their route to glory in the 2026 Wanda Diamond League with the publication of disciplines for all 15 meetings this Monday.
A host of world and Olympic champions will return to action in the Diamond League next year, testing themselves week in, week out at the highest level of track and field.
As the sport&rsquo;s premier one-day meeting series, the Diamond League offers fans and athletes the chance to experience elite-level competition on a regular basis throughout the outdoor season.
Athletes in 32 different disciplines compete for points at 14 series meetings as they bid to qualify for the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels on 4-5 September.
Each discipline is hosted between four and eight times on the road to the Final, providing multiple chances for the sport&rsquo;s biggest superstars to go head to head in some of the world&rsquo;s most iconic stadiums.
The breakdown of which disciplines will be staged at which meetings in 2026 <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/results-standings/disciplines/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has now been published and can be viewed on the Diamond League website</a>.
The 2026 Diamond League series begins in Doha on 8 May and continues through 13 countries and four different continents before the series final in Brussels.
The <a href="https://www.diamondleague.com/calendar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">full 2026 calendar</a> was published last week.
With no Olympic Games or World Championships in 2026, the iconic Diamond Trophy will be one of the biggest prizes on offer next season.
Reigning series champions who are hoping to defend their Diamond League title in 2026 include US sprinter Noah Lyles, pole vault world record-holder Mondo Duplantis and Dutch 400m hurdles star Femke Bol.
In 2025, the Diamond League enjoyed another record-breaking year both on and off the track.
The series increased its prize money pool to a record US$9.24million, split equally between men and women.
The 2025 season saw three world records, two world bests and 43 world leads as the biggest names continued to rewrite the athletics history books on the Diamond League stage.

The biggest stars of global athletics can begin to plot their route to glory in the 2026 Wanda Diamond League with the publication of disciplines for all 15 meetings this Monday.

Discipline allocation confirmed for 2026 Wanda Diamond League 

The World Athletics Indoor Tour will return in 2026, featuring a packed calendar of almost 80 meetings across all levels.
With less than three months to go until the first Gold-level action of the season, meetings spread across 24 countries in Asia, Europe and North America have been announced and the scoring disciplines confirmed.
The tour has grown from seven meetings in 2020 to 77 competitions so far for the 2025-26 season. The upcoming World Indoor Tour begins on 13 December in Bucharest, Romania (Challenger), and ends on 12 March in Uppsala, Sweden (Silver).
The series features eight Gold-level meetings, kicking off in Boston, USA, on 24 January. The series culminates in Torun in Poland on 22 February, as athletes prepare for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 taking place in the same venue &ndash; Kujawsko-Pomorska Arena Torun &ndash; on 20-22 March.
<h3>2026 World Athletics Indoor Tour Gold calendar</h3>
24 Jan: New Balance Indoor Grand Prix &ndash; Boston, USA 1 Feb: Millrose Games &ndash; New York, USA 3 Feb: Czech Indoor Gala &ndash; Ostrava, Czechia 6 Feb: World Indoor Tour Gold Madrid 2026 &ndash; Madrid, Spain 8 Feb: INIT Indoor Meeting Karlsruhe &ndash; Karlsruhe, Germany 11 Feb: Belgrade Indoor Meeting &ndash; Belgrade, Serbia 19 Feb: Meeting Hauts-de-France Pas-de-Calais Trophee EDF &ndash; Lievin, France 22 Feb: ORLEN Copernicus Cup &ndash; Torun, Poland
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-tour/calendar-results?season=2025%2F26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025-26 World Indoor Tour calendar</a>
<h3>Scoring</h3>
The scoring disciplines on the World Athletics Indoor Tour rotate each year. For 2026 the Gold-level scoring disciplines will be:
Women: 400m, 1500m, 60m hurdles, high jump, long jump Men: 60m, 800m, 3000m/5000m, pole vault, triple jump, shot put
Scoring is as follows: First place = 10pts Second place = 7pts Third place = 5pts Fourth place = 3pts
Each athlete&rsquo;s best three results will count towards their overall point score. The athlete with the most points in each scoring discipline at the end of the tour will be declared the winner and will be awarded a US$10,000 bonus. They will also be offered a wild card entry for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26.
Each Gold meeting will offer at least US$7000 in prize money for each individual discipline on the programme.
&nbsp;
World Athletics

The World Athletics Indoor Tour will return in 2026, featuring a packed calendar of almost 80 meetings across all levels

World Indoor Tour calendar expands to record size for 2026

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge has unveiled an ambitious new project &ndash; the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour &ndash; which will see him compete in seven marathons across seven continents over the next two years.
The initiative marks a new chapter in the two-time Olympic champion&rsquo;s storied career, combining elite racing with a mission to &ldquo;unite the world through running.&rdquo; Each stop on the tour will also raise funds for the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, which supports education and environmental projects around the globe.
&ldquo;Running is the most universal sport &ndash; it connects us all,&rdquo; said the former world record-holder, who last weekend made his New York City Marathon debut, placing 17th. &ldquo;With this project, I want to compete not only for records, but for the people. I hope to inspire, give back, and remind everyone that no human is limited.&rdquo;
The Eliud Kipchoge Foundation, launched in 2020, focuses on providing access to education and promoting environmental sustainability. Local projects in each host country will benefit from the events, supporting initiatives such as school libraries, learning programmes, and environmental restoration.
The tour is the first major venture under Eliud&rsquo;s Running World, a long-term platform through which Kipchoge plans to inspire participation in running and raise awareness for global causes.
The first destination on the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour will be announced soon. Fans can follow updates at <a href="http://www.eliudsrunningworld.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eliudsrunningworld.com</a>

Marathon great Eliud Kipchoge has unveiled an ambitious new project – the Eliud Kipchoge World Tour – which will see him compete in seven marathons across seven continents over the next two years.

Kipchoge to run marathons on all seven continents in new ‘World Tour’

Hellen Obiri regained her title at the TCS New York City Marathon, taking almost three minutes off the course record to win the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:19:51 on Sunday (2).
She was joined on the podium by compatriots and former winners Sharon Lokedi (2:20:07) and Sheila Chepkirui (2:20:24), the defending champion, both of whom finished inside the previous course record (2:22:31), which had been held by Margaret Okayo since 2003.
While Obiri&rsquo;s victory was a decisive one, the men&rsquo;s race was incredibly close as just 16 hundredths of a second separated eventual winner Benson Kipruto from runner-up Alexander Mutiso, both men clocking 2:08:09.
For the first time in the history of the prestigious event, Kenya achieved podium sweeps of both the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s races.
From the outset, the women&rsquo;s race promised fireworks with several women in contention, all operating at course record pace. A large lead pack of 13 runners, including the past three champions &ndash; Chepkirui, Obiri and Lokedi &ndash; as well as Sifan Hassan and US duo Emily Sisson and Fiona O&rsquo;Keeffe, went through 10km in 33:53. Hassan, the Olympic champion, sat near the back of the group, content to bide her time.
By 15km (50:52), the leading trio of Chepkirui, Lokedi and Obiri had taken charge, gradually thinning the pack to nine. Hassan continued to shadow the group, while 2016 Olympic 5000m champion Vivian Cheruiyot was also in the pack.
Six women &ndash; Chepkirui, Lokedi, Obiri, Sisson, O&rsquo;Keeffe and Annie Frisbie &ndash; opened a small gap on Hassan and Cheruiyot, reaching 20km in 1:07:24, well inside course record pace. By halfway (1:11:01), just four remained at the front: the three Kenyan champions and O&rsquo;Keeffe, with Hassan trailing by six seconds.
Hassan briefly bridged the gap at about the 14-mile mark, but the move was short-lived. As the tempo increased, she once again slipped off the back, followed soon after by O&rsquo;Keeffe, leaving Obiri, Lokedi and Chepkirui to battle for supremacy.
There were further shifts at 17 miles, as O&rsquo;Keeffe managed to rejoin the leaders, and Hassan remained within striking distance. The quartet reached 30km in 1:40:11, still on track for a finishing time comfortably under 2:21. But the relentless pace soon began to take its toll. Both O&rsquo;Keeffe and Hassan lost contact once again, and by 35km (1:56:48), the Kenyan trio had built a commanding lead &ndash; 39 seconds clear of O&rsquo;Keeffe and more than a minute ahead of Hassan.
Chepkirui was the first of the three to falter, slipping behind with 2:10 on the clock. Obiri and Lokedi pressed on together until Obiri, looking composed and powerful, made her decisive move with about three miles remaining. Her long surge to the finish proved irresistible.
The two-time world 5000m champion crossed the line in 2:19:51, smashing the PB of 2:23:10 she had set when earning Olympic bronze last year. She clocked 2:17:41 when finishing second in Boston earlier this year, though that course isn&rsquo;t eligible for PBs or records.
Lokedi, the 2022 winner, followed 16 seconds later, while Chepkirui held firm for third in 2:20:24, ensuring a Kenyan sweep of the podium for the second year in a row.
O&rsquo;Keeffe took fourth in 2:22:49, comfortably ahead of US compatriot Frisbie (2:24:12), while Hassan &ndash; running just two months after winning the Sydney Marathon in course record time &ndash; finished sixth in 2:24:43.
In the men&rsquo;s race, a large group of 21 runners passed 10km in a cautious 30:22, content to keep the pace steady on the rolling New York course. Distance-running legends Eliud Kipchoge and Kenenisa Bekele were part of that pack, along with Albert Korir, Alexander Mutiso and Benson Kipruto. The same group remained intact through 15km (46:01) and halfway (1:05:18), as no one seemed eager to make an early move.
With 75 minutes on the clock, marathon debutant and former steeplechaser Hillary Bor injected a burst of pace, surging clear of the field. His solo effort didn&rsquo;t last long, but it served its purpose, stringing out the pack and setting the stage for the decisive moves to come.
By 30km (1:32:21), the lead group had been reduced to eight: Bor, Korir, Kipruto, Abel Kipchumba, Tsegay Weldibanos, Abbabiya Simbassa, Mutiso and Britain&rsquo;s Patrick Dever. They were still together at 35km (1:47:37), but the cohesion was short-lived. As the pace quickened once more, the group splintered, leaving Kipruto &ndash; the Olympic bronze medallist &ndash; and Mutiso, the 2024 London Marathon champion, to battle for victory over the final kilometres.
Kipruto appeared to have made a decisive move in the closing stages, but Mutiso mounted a late challenge, surging back to within striking distance. Kipruto held firm, though, crossing the line in 2:08:09 to claim his first New York title, adding it to his Boston (2021) and Chicago (2022) victories.
Korir followed in 2:08:57 for third place, just one second ahead of marathon debutant Dever. Kipchoge, contesting the New York Marathon for the first time, finished 17th in 2:14:36.
<h3>Leading results</h3>
Women 1 Hellen Obiri (KEN) 2:19:51 2 Sharon Lokedi (KEN) 2:20:07 3 Sheila Chepkirui (KEN) 2:20:24 4 Fiona O&rsquo;Keeffe (USA) 2:22:49 5 Annie Frisbie (USA) 2:24:12 6 Sifan Hassan (NED) 2:24:43 7 Jessica Warner-Judd (GBR) 2:24:45 8 Emily Sisson (USA) 2:25:05 9 Amanda Vestri (USA) 2:25:40 10 Fionnuala McCormack (IRL) 2:27:00
Men 1 Benson Kipruto (KEN) 2:08:09 2 Alexander Mutiso (KEN) 2:08:09 3 Albert Korir (KEN) 2:08:57 4 Patrick Dever (GBR) 2:08:58 5 Matthias Kyburz (SUI) 2:09:55 6 Joel Reichow (USA) 2:09:56 7 Charles Hicks (USA) 2:09:59 8 Sondre Nordstad Moen (NOR) 2:10:15 9 Tsegay Weldibanos (ERI) 2:10:36 10 Joe Klecker (USA) 2:10:37

Hellen Obiri regained her title at the TCS New York City Marathon, taking almost three minutes off the course record to win the World Athletics Platinum Label road race in 2:19:51

Obiri smashes long-standing course record to regain New York City Marathon title

The prestigious <a href="https://worldathletics.org/heritage/plaque/list/fred-lebow" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Heritage Plaque was awarded to Fred Lebow</a>, the late New York City Marathon founder, on Friday (31) during the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) Donation Ceremony at which the careers of 15 running stars from the last five decades were honoured.
With around 55,000 runners ready to toe the line on Sunday (2) for the 55th&nbsp;edition of Lebow&rsquo;s fabled race, marathon champions, pioneers and other world and Olympic medallists gathered at the New York Athletic Club (NYAC), a short distance from Central Park and the finish line.
<h3>Three Boston victories, a donation from each</h3>
&ldquo;Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be with my friends here. This is a big family,&rdquo; said Rosa Mota, the 1987 world and 1988 Olympic marathon champion from Portugal. A three-time Boston Marathon winner, Mota donated to MOWA the shoes from her 1987 Boston victory, her gold medal from 1988, and the singlet and bib from her third Boston win in 1990.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69065f7c361ffa7d09b5119d.jpg" alt="Joan Benoit Samuelson, Rosa Mota and Jon Ridgeon" />
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Joan Benoit Samuelson, Rosa Mota and Jon Ridgeon (&copy; World Athletics Heritage <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Errol Andersen)
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Mota&rsquo;s contribution and the apparel and medals from the other 14 honourees have helped the MOWA collection grow by leaps and bounds.
&ldquo;Simply put, there would be no collection, no exhibitions, without the generosity of our athletes,&rdquo; said Jon Ridgeon, CEO of World Athletics.
And the athletes owe some of their success to the clubs and organisations that support them.&nbsp;
Ridgeon thanked NYAC President John Duggan and the NYAC, which received the Heritage Plaque in 2024 and has been a valuable partner in working to promote the history of the sport.
NYAC members include Thomas Burke, who won the inaugural Olympic 100m and 400m in 1896; four-time Olympic discus champion Al Oerter; and 1999 World Championships 50km bronze medal-winning race walker Curt Clausen, the current president of USA Track and Field and one of the athletes making donations in the President&rsquo;s Room at the club.
&ldquo;This was the room I was married in,&rdquo; said Clausen, who donated his vest, shorts, bib and shoes from that 1999 World Championships race, and the bib number from the World Race Walking Cup of the same year where he set the still standing US 50km record.
Ridgeon also thanked Michael H. Burke, the founding patron of MOWA, for his generous support of the Heritage programme. Burke, whose patronage financed the entire ceremony, presented the athletes with special MOWA Donor Pins.
More than half of the contributors were marathon runners who helped promote a global long-distance running boom.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69065f9d361ffa7d09b511a0.jpg" alt="The awarding of the Fred Lebow plaque in New York" />
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The awarding of the Fred Lebow plaque in New York (&copy; World Athletics Heritage <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Errol Andersen)
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<h3>Switzer and Hansen &ndash; women&rsquo;s distance running pioneers</h3>
On the women&rsquo;s side, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon (she registered in 1967 using her initials). When race director Jock Semple tried to yank Switzer from the course, her boyfriend at the time, a hammer thrower, blocked the attempt.
About halfway through the race, Switzer forgave Semple. &ldquo;He was just trying to protect his race, and he thought I was a clown,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;And it was going to be up to me and other women like me who were going to have to change his mind.&rdquo;
Switzer donated her tracksuit from the Avon International Running Circuit, one of the biggest motivators for getting women&rsquo;s distance running into the Olympic Games, and the jacket she wore while doing ABC television commentary of the inaugural Olympic women&rsquo;s marathon in LA84.
Her fellow US athlete Jacqueline Hansen, through her role as President of the International Runners Committee, was one of the advocates for women&rsquo;s running who took World Athletics (then the IAAF) and the International Olympic Committee to court to add more events.&nbsp;
In 2021, Hansen donated to MOWA the shoes from her second world marathon best, when she became the first woman under 2:40 by clocking 2:38:19 at the 1975 Nike-Oregon Track Club Marathon.&nbsp;
With this ceremony taking place on the 50th&nbsp;anniversary of that race, Hansen said that although her group did not win in court, &ldquo;within 30 days they announced the 10,000m would go into the Seoul Olympics, they replaced the 3000m with the 5000m in the next Games and later on we added the steeplechase, and with that we gained parity.&rdquo;
<h3>Samuelson &ndash; passion and fire</h3>
The entire podium from the inaugural women&rsquo;s marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics is now represented in the MOWA collection.
Gold medallist Joan Benoit Samuelson donated her winner&rsquo;s medal from the 1985 Chicago Marathon, where she set a US record of 2:21:21, as well as a postmarked envelope from the 1984 Olympic Village.
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all about passion,&rdquo; Samuelson said. &ldquo;If you don&rsquo;t have passion you don&rsquo;t have fire, and if you don&rsquo;t have fire, you can&rsquo;t ignite anything. It ignited in my heart, and for better or worse, I&rsquo;m still at it.&rdquo;
<h3>Nine New York City Marathon victories which followed &lsquo;retirement&rsquo;</h3>
The silver medallist was Norway&rsquo;s Grete Waitz, who sadly died of cancer in 2011. Four years ago, her husband Jack donated to MOWA a pair of her running shoes from the 1982 season, and that donation was celebrated once again in the city whose marathon she won nine times.&nbsp;
Jack said Grete had decided to retire in 1978 but agreed to run the NYC Marathon. One race led to another and she won 47 races that year. Waitz went on to capture the inaugural World Championships medal in 1983.
Mota was the bronze medallist in Los Angeles. She said women were only allowed to run shorter distances in Portugal until she won the 1982 European Championship in the marathon. &ldquo;After that, everyone wants to run,&rdquo; said Mota, who in Seoul became the first Portuguese woman to win an Olympic gold medal in any sport.
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1i8IbtLKuqI?si=aN3Hq_nQvaelv5_A" width="100%" height="475" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
<h3>Kastor &ndash; &ldquo;Inspiring the next generation&rdquo;</h3>
Twenty years after the inaugural Olympic marathon, Deena Kastor won the bronze medal in 2004. She donated her shoes &ndash; with her name embroidered &ndash; and singlet from those Games.
&ldquo;What a privilege to be in this room with the women who paved the way through administration and in your performances,&rdquo; said Kastor, who also won three world cross country silver medals and broke Samuelson&rsquo;s US record.&nbsp;
She also praised MOWA for preserving the history of the sport. &ldquo;I am absolutely so grateful that you are creating something that can inspire the next generation.&rdquo;
<h3>Happy 78th birthday, Frank</h3>
In 1972, Frank Shorter became the first US man to win the Olympic marathon since 1904. Shorter, who was serenaded by the gathering on his 78th&nbsp;birthday, had previously donated his USA team shirt from the 1971 Pan American Games, where he won both the 10,000m and marathon. He has now added a 1972 USA team T-shirt to the MOWA collection.
Shorter said his good friend Bill Rodgers watched his victory in Munich. &ldquo;He said: &ldquo;I can do that. And he did!&rdquo;
Shorter and Rodgers both qualified for the 1976 Olympics, where Shorter took home the silver. &ldquo;We found something that was us,&rdquo; Shorter said, &ldquo;and we wanted to see how good we could get.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h3>Rodgers &ndash; &ldquo;crushed&rdquo; in Montreal inspired NYC and Boston victories</h3>
Although Rodgers did not win an Olympic medal, he is one of the most prolifically successful marathoners in history.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Athletics is such a tricky sport because you get crushed sometimes,&rdquo; said Rodgers.
After getting crushed at the 1976 Olympics, Rodgers claimed his first of four straight New York City Marathon titles, &ldquo;and beat the crap out of me,&rdquo; said Shorter. Rodgers, who donated his NYC Maratholn winter training jacket to MOWA, also won four Boston Marathon titles and set world records at 15 miles and 25km.
<h3>&ldquo;In the last two miles, I decided to win&rdquo;</h3>
Orlando Pizzolato of Italy, who won consecutive NYC Marathons in 1984 and 1985, donated the shoes from his first victory to the museum in 2023. He was briefly reunited with them at the ceremony. He said he didn&rsquo;t expect to win that year, and stopped at every water station in the last six miles. As he moved closer to the front, Pizzolato said: &ldquo;In the last two miles, I decided to win.&rdquo;
<h3>&ldquo;We eat cheese. We don&rsquo;t run&rdquo;</h3>
Swiss marathoner Viktor Rothlin, who won the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships, donated his 2014 European Championships singlet, bib and shoes.&nbsp;
The four-time Olympian, who won the 2010 European title and the 2008 Tokyo Marathon, said when he saw there were 74 Kenyans in the top 100, he decided to train in Kenya. After all, Switzerland did not have a marathon tradition. &ldquo;We eat cheese,&rdquo; Rothlin said. &ldquo;We don&rsquo;t run.&rdquo;
<h3>Shorter&rsquo;s shorts</h3>
Dave Wottle, the 1972 800m Olympic gold medallist, donated his US team singlet from the 1972 pre-tour, which he said fitted better than his Olympic uniform. Because he was helping his new wife with her accommodation in Munich, he was late to pick up his Team USA kit. All that remained was an extra-large singlet &ndash; he had requested medium &ndash; and a pair of 3X shorts.&nbsp;
<div><img style="max-width: 900px; width: 100%; display: block;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/69065fbd361ffa7d09b511a3.jpg" alt="Jon Ridgeon, Dave Wottle and Michael Burke in New York" />
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Jon Ridgeon, Dave Wottle and Michael Burke in New York (&copy; World Athletics Heritage <img style="width: 16px; vertical-align: middle; display: inline;" src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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" alt="photographer icon" /> Errol Andersen)
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Shorter, who was his roommate, offered to loan him a pair of Florida Track Club shorts, which looked similar to the USA uniform. Wottle said Shorter told him:&nbsp;&ldquo;If you win, you can have them.&rdquo; Shorter did not get them back.
Wottle had already donated his famous baseball cap to the US Track &amp; Field Hall of Fame, and it resides in New York at The Armory.
Jim Spivey, the 1987 world 1500m bronze medallist, can still fit into his 1996 Olympic team jacket and he wore it to the ceremony. Spivey donated his tracksuit top from the Atlanta Games, his third Olympics.
Before the 1992 US Olympic Trials, Spivey said his coach instructed him to take the lead in the third lap and with 200 meters to go &ldquo;visualise people breaking into your home&rdquo;, and their names were his biggest rivals. Spivey won the race at age 32.
<h3>Four Irish world indoor titles</h3>
Two-time world indoor 3000m champion Frank O&rsquo;Mara of Ireland donated his winning shorts, bib and top from the 1991 edition in Seville. His compatriot Marcus O&rsquo;Sullivan, three-world indoor champion in the 1500m, donated the singlet and shoes from the first of those victories in Indianapolis in 1987, and a trophy from his USA Mobil Grand Prix Mile title, but he had to miss the ceremony due to his commitments as a collegiate coach at Villanova. He was represented by Ray Flynn, who teamed up in 1985 with O&rsquo;Mara, O&rsquo;Sullivan and Eamonn Coghlan (who has previously donated to MOWA) to shatter the world record in the 4 x one mile relay in Dublin. The record of 15:49.08 still stands.&nbsp;
O&rsquo;Mara quipped that the most memorable aspect of that race, which raised money for famine relief in Ethiopia, was &ldquo;the fact that Eamonn was the slowest of us. I don&rsquo;t think he broke 4:00.&rdquo; (He ran 4:00.02.)
&ldquo;I so wish,&rdquo; joked Chris Turner, Heritage Director and MC for the ceremony, &ldquo;Eamonn was here tonight.&rdquo;
Karen Rosen for World Athletics Heritage
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The prestigious World Athletics Heritage Plaque was awarded to Fred Lebow, the late New York City Marathon founder, on Friday during the Museum of World Athletics Donation Ceremony

New York City Marathon founder Lebow plus 15 champions and record-breakers honoured by MOWA

Geordie Beamish and Hamish Kerr led a record medal haul for New Zealand at the World Athletics Championships &ndash; respectively getting gold in the 3000m steeplechase and the high jump in Tokyo in September.
It continued a &ldquo;special bond&rdquo; between the two athletes, one that covers their journey from winning as teenagers at the New Zealand High School Championships in 2014 to becoming world indoor champions in 2024 and then repeating the feat at the World Championships in Tokyo.
In Glasgow, Kerr claimed his world indoor crown first &ndash; winning the high jump before Beamish took to the track to take the 1500m title.
The order switched in Tokyo, Beamish blasting to 3000m steeplechase gold before Kerr soared to success again in the high jump.
It was the first time that athletes from New Zealand had won two gold medals at a single edition of the World Athletics Championships.
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And Beamish managed the first part of that historic double despite suffering a heavy fall in his heat just two days earlier.
&ldquo;I was at the track training when his qualifying race was on,&rdquo; explained Kerr in an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8jrzYzqUlU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exclusive World Athletics video feature</a>. &ldquo;Suddenly, I had all these messages come through, saying &lsquo;what the heck did Geordie do?&rsquo;
&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t know what happened. I went on my social media and saw the photo of the shoe in his face and I just couldn&rsquo;t believe it.&rdquo;
But Beamish got back up, ran himself into a qualifying position, and then won the final two days later, pipping defending champion Soufiane El Bakkali.
&ldquo;It took me three goes,&rdquo; said Beamish, who was fifth in the world final in 2023 and ran in the 5000m heats in 2022, &ldquo;but I&rsquo;m happy to have made it.&rdquo;
Kerr watched from his hotel room.
&ldquo;The night before my competition, I was lying in bed, just about to go to sleep,&rdquo; said Kerr. &ldquo;I was like, &lsquo;I&rsquo;ll just watch Geordie&rsquo;s race.&rsquo; I have to say, I was super stoked for him, but also kind of nervous because then I knew that I had to do the same.&rdquo;
He channelled that energy and ended up doubling his nation&rsquo;s gold medal haul, clearing a world lead and equalling his own Oceanian record in the process.
&ldquo;To this time set the bar for him the day before and to come back in and repeat that again, in the opposite order, is just unreal,&rdquo; said Beamish.&nbsp;&ldquo;The chance of that happening is just crazy.&rdquo;
Kerr reflected: &ldquo;Everybody in that final was an amazing athlete physically, and so the thing that sets me apart is my ability to control my emotions and control my energy and mind.
&ldquo;Yeah, Kiwis can fly.&rdquo;
Interview and video production by Marta Gorczyńska for World Athletics

World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025

Geordie Beamish and Hamish Kerr led a record medal haul for New Zealand at the World Athletics Championships

Flight of the Kiwis – Geordie Beamish and Hamish Kerr

Earlier this year World Athletics uncovered the systematic theft of money from the organisation by two employees and a contracted consultant.
While one of the employees left the organisation before their theft was discovered, another employee and a consultant had their contracts terminated following an internal investigation.
Detailed cases have been prepared and handed over to the relevant judicial and legal authorities for criminal investigation.
The theft, which totaled just over &euro;1.5m over a period of several years, was discovered by World Athletics&rsquo; finance department during the first annual auditing process under a new financial leadership team.
World Athletics instructed an independent forensic accounting review of the period to supplement its own internal investigation and no other fraudulent activity was found. A set of enhanced internal financial controls are being introduced across the organisation.
Commenting on the theft, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: &ldquo;Unfortunately, corporate theft happens in organisations around the world and across all industry sectors at different levels. The most important thing is to identify it, review how it was able to happen and then introduce new processes and enhanced controls to ensure it doesn&rsquo;t happen again. This is what we have done.
&ldquo;We are also determined to recover whatever monies we are able using the full force of the law to do this. Too many organisations brush incidents like this under the carpet, terminating employment with limited information which allows perpetrators to continue their scams and thefts within new organisations. We are not that type of organisation.
&ldquo;We have built a strong reputation for good governance, transparency and for defending what is right, even if it is sometimes a little uncomfortable. This is uncomfortable but it is important that we do the right thing.&rdquo;
World Athletics

Earlier this year World Athletics uncovered the systematic theft of money from the organisation by two employees and a contracted consultant.

World Athletics statement regarding discovery of corporate theft

The <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6903367e000813469a3888b0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qualification system conditions and criteria</a> plus the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7212925?eventId=10229509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&lsquo;road to&rsquo; tracking tool</a> have been published for the World Athletics Ultimate Championship 2026.&nbsp;
The Ultimate Championship will bring together world champions, Olympic champions, Wanda Diamond League winners and the year&rsquo;s best performing athletes in an epic clash of titans. It launches in Budapest in 2026, when the world&rsquo;s greatest will settle the debate across three intense sessions of action from 11-13 September.&nbsp;
Athletes have already started to qualify by virtue of becoming Olympic champions in Paris and world champions in Tokyo. The <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6903367e000813469a3888b0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conditions and criteria document</a> confirms which other stars will be eligible to receive a World Athletics invitation to join them in Budapest.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7212925?eventId=10229509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Road to the Ultimate online tool</a> is designed to help athletes, media and fans track the athlete journey to next year's championship, which offers a record-setting prize pot of US$10 million &ndash; the largest ever offered in a single track and field event.&nbsp;
Searchable by discipline and qualification status, the tool provides a real-time view of each discipline over the course of the Ultimate Championship 2026 qualification period.&nbsp;
<h3>Invitation criteria&nbsp;</h3>
The qualification system conditions and criteria document outlines the events and target numbers, participation conditions, invitation criteria and timeline for the inaugural Ultimate Championship.&nbsp;
The way individual athletes can earn invites includes by:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>being an Olympic champion from the Paris 2024 Olympic Games&nbsp;</li>
<li>being a world champion from the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25 &nbsp;</li>
<li>winning the 2026 Diamond League Final in Brussels&nbsp;</li>
<li>their position on the world rankings during the ranking period of 2 September 2025 to 1 September 2026&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
The list of eligible athletes will feature in the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7212925?eventId=10229512" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Road to the Ultimate tool</a>, in the stats section of the World Athletics website. &nbsp;
As eligible athletes are personally invited to participate, there&rsquo;s no cap on how many stars from a country can compete in each individual event.&nbsp;
For the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m, there will also be automatic invitations for the first six placed teams at the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26. The remaining two teams will be selected based on the best performances achieved during the qualification period of 22 August 2025 to 1 September 2026.&nbsp;
Full conditions and criteria information can be found in the <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/6903367e000813469a3888b0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">qualification system document</a>.&nbsp;
The Ultimate Championship programme features women&rsquo;s and men&rsquo;s competition in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 100m hurdles/110m hurdles, 400m hurdles, pole vault, high jump, long jump and javelin throw, as well as the women&rsquo;s triple jump, men&rsquo;s hammer throw, and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m.&nbsp;
Each of the three sessions will be stacked with finals. On the track, the two semifinals in certain events will star eight athletes, and only the top four in each will make it through to the final. The 1500m, 5000m and relay races will be straight finals &ndash; no second chances.&nbsp;
World Athletics

Road to the Ultimate online tool is designed to help athletes, media and fans track the athlete journey to next year's championship

Kipsang and Chepkirui secure Kenyan double in Cardiff

Camaraderie – Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter Bell

Vacancy: International Relations and Development internship

World Cross Country Tour Gold heads to Cardiff and Seville

Seiko bell: a legacy for the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25