Mahuchikh and Iapichino claim women’s titles as Ingebrigtsen and Duplantis headline the opening night*.*
BUDAPEST, September 12, 2026 — Athletics entered a new era of prize money on Friday as the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship opened in Budapest, offering a record $10 million purse and $150,000 to each individual event winner.
The three-day competition, which runs through September 13, brings the sport’s leading athletes together for a concentrated weekend of elite competition at Hungary’s National Athletics Centre.
Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh was among the first athletes to secure a title, winning the women’s high jump. The Olympic champion added another major victory to her record as women’s field events featured prominently on the opening programme.
Italy’s Larissa Iapichino claimed the women’s long jump title, earning her first global championship victory. Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers finished second.
On the track, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men’s 5,000m in 12:59.24, while Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.20m to take the men’s pole vault crown. Both collected the championship’s $150,000 winner’s prize.
The substantial financial rewards give the new championship an immediate place in the athletics calendar. For competitors, Budapest offers an opportunity to turn a successful performance into a significant payday, alongside the sporting prestige of beating an elite international field.
The presentation also signals an effort to broaden athletics’ audience. Dramatic lighting, music and athlete introductions accompanied the competition, with organisers reporting a sold-out opening-night crowd of 20,557.
With two days of competition remaining, the opening titles have been decided, but the inaugural Ultimate Championship still has more champions and more substantial prizes to deliver.
