Some of the biggest names in the sport came together on Thursday (11) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building to mark the one-year countdown to the first-ever World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a bold new global competition set to take place in Budapest from 11-13 September 2026.
Usain Bolt, who earlier this week was announced as the Ultimate Legend for the new season-finale global championship, graced the red carpet alongside Olympic champions Mondo Duplantis and Thea LaFond at the star-studded party hosted by World Athletics.
Alongside World Athletics President Sebastian Coe, leading figures from across the sports, media and political world attended the event, including internet entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, founder of Reddit and Athlos; Hungarian Ambassador to Japan, Her Excellency Anna Aulner-Balint; Hungarian State Secretary for Sports Adam Schmidt; and Hungary’s International Olympic Committee member and co-chair of the Ultimate Championship LOC Balazs Furjes.
11th September 2025: Usain Bolt, Thea Lafond, Sebastian Coe and Mondo Duplantis during the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Media Party at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
“I worked hard to be an ultimate legend for years, so I’m really excited to be a part of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship,” said Bolt. “The first thing I thought when I heard about this event was how wonderful it would have been to compete at this championship had it been around when I was an athlete. It moves the sport in the right direction, so I’m hoping to help shine a light on it in my role as Ultimate Legend.”
Duplantis, who last month was revealed as the Ultimate Star for the event, said: “If I win at the Ultimate Championship, I’ll have a title that Usain (Bolt) won’t have, which is very rare and not many athletes can do, so I’m super excited.”
LaFond, who, like Duplantis, will be among the favourites for gold at the upcoming World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, said: “I love a good one-and-done deal, I really do. I think it’s fun, I think it puts a little bit more pressure on that one event and I think it’s exciting for the crowd, for sure. I think one of the best things that has come from the Ultimate is the pay structure.”
President Coe said: “Make no mistake: The Ultimate is the next major global flagship outdoor track and field championship in the calendar after Tokyo. The Ultimate Championship will be where the world’s top-ranked track and field athletes compete head-to-head to decide who is truly the best on the planet. I, for one, am very excited.”
11th September 2025: Usain Bolt during the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Media Party at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
Schmidt is also looking forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes in Budapest. “The motto of this day is: the best,” he said. “After the 2023 World Athletics Championships, Sebastian Coe said that the Budapest World Championships had been the best ever. More than one billion TV viewers, more than 400,000 fans in our state-of-the-art athletics stadium – these numbers speak for themselves. Exactly one year from today, the best of the best athletes will compete in Budapest. I do hope that we can recreate the magic again at the very first edition of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.”
A new era for athletics
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will ensure every season culminates with a global championship of real meaning. Only the top-ranked athletes on the planet will earn the right to compete, representing their countries on the biggest stage for a share of the record US$10million prize pot – the largest in track and field history.
11th September 2025: Sebastian Coe, World Athletics President speaks during the Ultimate Championship Media Party at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. (Photo by Will Palmer for World Athletics Media Academy)
This compact and thrilling three-day competition will feature 28 disciplines in a fast-paced, made-for-TV format. With no country quotas or selection panels, performance alone secures a place, guaranteeing the ultimate head-to-head battles to decide who truly is the best in the world.
Designed for fans, media, and the future
As the natural complement to the World Championships, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship is built to deliver a global moment every year, keeping athletics firmly in the spotlight. It has been designed to maximise broadcast reach, ensuring fans worldwide are captivated by gripping, made-for-TV storytelling.
11th September 2025: Thea Lafond during the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Media Party at Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
At its heart, the event will elevate the stories of athletes, giving them powerful new platforms to grow their profiles and connect with audiences. At the same time, it will act as an incubator for sustainable innovation in athletics while forging strong new commercial partnerships, building on the success of the World Championships Budapest 23.
In 12 months’ time, the eyes of the sporting world will return to the Hungarian capital, where the very best athletes on the planet will chase one goal: to be crowned the Ultimate champion
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