Photo: World Athletics.
Sebastian Coe's ambition is about to be realized: Budapest will host the first edition of the Ultimate Championship from September 11th to 13th. This brand-new competition is designed to present athletics in a different, more modern, and more appealing light. Only sixteen disciplines are on the program. Places are equally coveted for athletes: the Ultimate Championship positions itself as a competition for the elite, featuring world champions, Olympic champions, Diamond League winners, and the highest-ranked athletes internationally. World Athletics promises not only a spectacular event but also innovations.
"It was high time to try something new."
The field is impressive: American sprinter Noah Lyles, Olympic 100-meter champion Julien Alfred, high jump star Gianmarco Tamberi, two-time Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who will compete in the 1.500 and 5.000 meters, Grant Holloway, Faith Kipyegon, Marileidy Paulino, Femke Bol, Gabrielle Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone… and of course, Armand Duplantis. The world record holder in the pole vault will be more than just a participant: he is one of the competition's great ambassadors, having even composed its anthem, aptly titled GoldThe Swede will also sing his song live on Sunday during the closing ceremony.
« I find it super exciting. he confided to the press a few days ago. That's why I got involved in this project very early on, right from the start, because I simply believed in the concept and I thought it was high time to try something new, to innovate a bit in the world of athletics, by organizing this kind of championship. (...) I'm really looking forward to it. They're clearly approaching this championship in a way that's perhaps more modern than previous ones, and I think it's going to be very interesting to see what kind of impact it will have. I think it's going to be huge. »
The athletes in Budapest will certainly benefit, as they will share a prize purse of $10 million. Some bold choices have also been made regarding the program: no events will be included in the 3.000-meter steeplechase, discus throw, or shot put, while the hammer throw will be featured only in the men's events and the triple jump only in the women's. Only two relays will be contested, the 4x100 and the 4x400, and both will be mixed. These carefully selected disciplines are chosen not only for the sake of spectacle but also to maximize the exposure of each event and avoid clashes, which often occur at larger competitions.
A competition without medals
« The Ultimate Championship is clearly a sporting competition, but with a twist. We didn't just want to create yet another world championship. It's a shorter format: three days, three nights, fewer athletes, not all disciplines, but a balance between men and women, with a very substantial prize purse. "That sums it up," Sebastian Coe explains. "There will be a draft, American-style, to decide the heats and lanes where the athletes will be placed. No ties are possible in the high jump or pole vault; don't expect a repeat of the scene where Gianmarco Tamberi and Mutaz Essa Barshim agreed to share the Olympic high jump title in Tokyo: there will only be one winner, determined by a tiebreaker jump in case of a tie."
This emphasis on victory is reflected in the awards given to athletes: no medals, but a star-shaped trophy awarded to the winners. The idea behind this championship is for one athlete to prove themselves the best. Giving prizes to the top three didn't seem to align with this fundamental principle. “,” says Sebastien Coe. World Athletics promises an unprecedented experience for viewers: visuals integrating augmented reality, new data indicators, probabilities of victory… Smart javelins, equipped with sensors, will for example be used to offer real-time data (spin, speed, trajectory, etc.), enhance the public experience and support performance analysis.
Visually, the central part of the stadium will be black, offering a striking contrast with the surrounding track. For the very first time, "center court" style interviews will be broadcast in the stadium. Major networks will broadcast the event, such as L'Equipe in France, the BBC in the UK, NRK in Norway, NBC in the US, and TBS in Japan, which should facilitate its exposure. These innovations offer a glimpse of how we plan to develop this sport. ", announces Coe. Now, let the show begin!
