Mondo Duplantis Headlines $10 Million World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest

Posted : 10 September 2026

Armand “Mondo” Duplantis will headline the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest this weekend as the sport’s biggest stars gather for a new season-ending showdown. The Swedish pole vault world record holder is among 381 athletes from 65 federations confirmed for the three-day event at the National Athletics Centre from September 11-13.

The competition has been designed to bring together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and the highest-ranked performers of the season. With no world championships or Olympic Games taking place in 2026, World Athletics created the Ultimate Championship as a major global finale for the athletics season.

A record $10 million prize fund will be distributed across the competition, making it the richest event in track and field history. Individual champions will collect $150,000, while athletes finishing lower down the standings will also receive prize money.

Duplantis is one of the biggest attractions in Budapest after another extraordinary season. The Olympic and world champion has continued to dominate the pole vault and recently raised his own world record to 6.31 metres.

However, there are questions surrounding his fitness after Duplantis withdrew from the Diamond League Final in Brussels because of recurring leg tightness. The injury first emerged during the London Diamond League and resurfaced during his appearance in Zurich, prompting him to take a precautionary break ahead of Budapest.

The pole vault competition will feature another major contender in Emmanouil Karalis. The Greek star cleared 6.12m to win the Diamond League Final and will be among those hoping to challenge Duplantis for the inaugural Ultimate title.

The field extends far beyond the pole vault, with Olympic champions including Gabby Thomas, Marileidy Paulino, Keely Hodgkinson, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Letsile Tebogo and Ethan Katzberg set to compete. The event also features several athletes who have broken world records during the season.

The competition will use a condensed format aimed at creating a faster-paced television spectacle. Sprint and hurdle events through 800 metres will feature semifinals before the finals, while longer-distance races, relays and field events will go directly to finals. Across the programme, 28 disciplines will be contested over three evenings.

One major absentee will be Noah Lyles, who has ended his 2026 season early because of a hamstring injury. The Olympic 100m champion had been expected to be one of the leading attractions in Budapest but withdrew to concentrate on his longer-term goals.

The Ultimate Championship also brings together some of the sport's most compelling rivalries. Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen are set for a highly anticipated 1,500m showdown, while the event will showcase many of the world's leading athletes competing head-to-head in a championship designed specifically for the post-Olympic, non-world-championship year.

For Duplantis, the goal is to cap another record-breaking campaign with a victory at an event World Athletics hopes will become a major fixture on the athletics calendar. With the sport's leading performers assembled and unprecedented prize money at stake, Budapest promises an intense three nights of competition.

Mondo Duplantis Headlines $10 Million World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest

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