Nigeria Names Star-Studded Squad for 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest
Nigeria will parade a strong contingent at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary, with Tobi Amusan and Kanyinsola Ajayi among the stars named for the global athletics showpiece.
The three-day competition is scheduled to hold from September 11 to 13, 2026, at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary.
The championship will bring together the world’s leading athletes in a new World Athletics competition designed to determine the best of the best in the sport.
About 381 athletes from 65 federations are expected to compete across 28 events, with the programme featuring some of the biggest names in global athletics.
Former world record holder Tobi Amusan headlines Nigeria’s women’s contingent. She is entered in the women’s 100 metres hurdles and will also feature in the mixed 4×100 metres relay.
Nigeria’s men’s 100 metres representative will be Kanyinsola Ajayi, while Udodi Onwuzurike will compete in the men’s 200 metres and the mixed 4×100 metres relay.
Other Nigerian representatives are Ella Onojuwvevwo in the women’s 400 metres and Ezekiel Nathaniel in the men’s 400 metres hurdles.
The country’s mixed 4×100 metres relay squad comprises Alaba Akintola, Favour Ashe, Miracle Ezechukwu, Udodi Onwuzurike, Rosemary Nwankwo and Tobi Amusan.
The mixed relay qualification is particularly significant, as Nigeria is among the select nations granted automatic qualification for the event.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is a new biennial competition created to bring together Olympic champions, World champions, Diamond League winners and other leading performers in a highly competitive three-day format.
Unlike the traditional World Athletics Championships, the Ultimate Championship is designed as a compact, high-intensity competition, with athletes competing directly for global honours.
The inaugural Budapest edition will feature 26 individual events and two mixed relay events, with a record US$10 million prize purse on offer. Individual event champions will receive US$150,000.
For Nigeria, attention will particularly focus on Ajayi’s men’s 100 metres campaign, Amusan’s hurdles challenge and the country’s mixed 4×100 metres relay team.
With a mixture of established stars and emerging talents, Team Nigeria will be hoping to make a strong statement when the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship gets underway in Budapest on September 11.
