World Athletics Ultimate Championship: Jefferson-Wooden, Bednarek, Win 300k Dollars, Lead Budapest Winners as Athletes Share $10m Jackpot
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Kenny Bednarek and Alison dos Santos emerged among the biggest winners at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, with Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek each collecting $300,000 after completing sprint doubles as athletes shared a record $10 million prize purse.
The three-day championship at the National Athletics Centre brought together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and the leading performers of the 2026 season across 28 events.
Each Ultimate Champion received $150,000, while prize money was awarded to every athlete who competed, making the event the richest prize-paying competition in track and field history.
Jefferson-Wooden Completes Sprint Double
American sprint sensation Melissa Jefferson-Wooden was one of Budapest’s biggest stars, completing a memorable women’s 100m and 200m double.
After securing the 100m title, the reigning world champion returned for the 200m final and produced an outstanding 21.47 seconds to claim another Ultimate Championship crown.
The double earned Jefferson-Wooden $300,000 in individual prize money and further strengthened her status as one of the dominant forces in women’s sprinting.
Bednarek Matches Jefferson-Wooden
Kenny Bednarek matched Jefferson-Wooden’s achievement by completing the men’s sprint double.
The American won the 100m in 9.85 seconds before producing a spectacular 19.52 seconds in the 200m final to secure his second title of the championship.
Bednarek’s two victories also earned him $300,000, placing him among the highest individual earners from the record-breaking Budapest prize fund.
Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo finished behind Bednarek in the 200m, with Courtney Lindsey completing the podium.
Dos Santos Wins Budapest Hurdles Showdown
Brazilian star Alison dos Santos delivered one of the championship’s most significant victories in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Dos Santos clocked 45.98 seconds to defeat Olympic and world champion Rai Benjamin, who finished second in 46.40, while three-time world champion Karsten Warholm took third in 46.78.
The victory capped another remarkable campaign for the Brazilian, who had earlier set a world record of 45.80 seconds in Zurich.
Nigeria’s Ezekiel Nathaniel finished sixth in the elite field.
Duplantis, Kerr and Ingebrigtsen Add Their Names
Several of athletics’ biggest global stars also secured Ultimate Championship titles.
Swedish pole-vault superstar Mondo Duplantis cleared 6.20m to win the men’s pole vault, continuing his extraordinary dominance of the event.
Britain’s Josh Kerr claimed the men’s 1500m title, while Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen captured the 5000m crown after another trademark late-race surge.
Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati won the men’s 800m, while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Pathirage completed a breakthrough campaign by taking the javelin title.
In the women’s 400m, Olympic champion Marileidy Paulino continued her outstanding form with a winning time of 49.07 seconds.
Amusan Leads Nigeria’s Challenge
Nigeria’s leading performance came from Tobi Amusan, who secured silver in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Kanyinsola Ajayi narrowly missed out on a podium finish in the men’s 100m, placing fourth in 9.93 seconds. Nathaniel finished sixth in the 400m hurdles, while Udodi Onwuzurike was eighth in the 200m final.
Budapest Opens a New Chapter
Beyond the individual results, the Budapest championship represented an ambitious new chapter for global athletics.
The Ultimate Championship was designed as a compact, high-profile showcase featuring the sport’s leading performers, while its $10 million prize purse significantly raised the financial rewards available to competitors.
Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek’s sprint doubles, Dos Santos’ victory over Benjamin and Warholm, and titles for Duplantis, Kerr, Ingebrigtsen and other established stars provided a fitting conclusion to the inaugural event.
The inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest also set a new benchmark for prize money in the sport.Every competing athlete guaranteed a share of the purse, a record $10 million jackpot.
Individual event winners earned $150,000, while runners-up received $75,000 and third place $40,000, 4th $25,000 etc with prize money extending down to 16th place depending on the number of Athletes per race.
The mixed relay champions shared an $80,000 winners’ pot, with $40,000 for second and $24,000 for third.
Budapest has therefore established the Ultimate Championship as a major new platform in world athletics, combining elite competition, substantial financial rewards and a format designed to bring the sport’s biggest names together on one stage.
