World Athletics Ultimate Championship gets underway in Budapest

The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship gets underway in Budapest on Friday, bringing together many of the sport's crème de la crème for a new season-ending showdown.

The new competition is built around elite head-to-head clashes, with a $10 million prize pot up for grabs.

Individual winners will earn $150,000, while relay champions will share $80,000.

That effectively makes it athletics' richest event, with the individual winners’ payout more than doubling what was on offer at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo.

The format is designed to produce thrilling, fast-paced action, with no heats involved.

The 1,500m, 5,000m and field events are straight finals.

Track events up to and including the 800m begin with semi-finals, with the top four advancing to the final.

Each of the three evening sessions will run for about three hours.

Friday's opening programme features the men's 5,000m, the men's and women's sprint hurdles, women's high jump, men's pole vault, women's long jump, men's hammer throw, and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays.

Africa will have a strong presence in Budapest, led by Kenya's Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the Olympic and world 800m champion.

The 22-year-old arrives in Budapest in formidable form after winning his fourth consecutive Diamond League Final 800m title in Brussels last week, clocking 1:41.80.

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, the Olympic champion over 200m, will also headline the African line-up.

His compatriot Collen Kebinatshipi, the 2025 world champion over 400m, is among the athletes entered in Budapest.

Kebinatshipi also arrives in dazzling form, having broken the 400m Diamond League record for the third time this season just seven days ago in Brussels.