The World Athletics Ultimate Championship is set to kick off in Budapest tomorrow, attracting top track and field athletes, including Canadians, who will compete for substantial cash prizes during the three-day event. Created by World Athletics, the Ultimate Championship aims to showcase the sport’s elite athletes in a made-for-TV international competition in non-World Championship years. The competition offers a significant prize pool of $10 million US, with $150,000 going to each individual event winner, a notable increase from previous competitions.
The event features 26 individual events across men’s and women’s categories, along with mixed relays. To streamline the competition into a TV-friendly format, some events have been excluded, and each day consists of a single three-hour session. The participation criteria include reigning champions and a qualifying system, with exceptions made for select athletes and Hungarian participants.
Canada is represented by notable athletes such as Ethan Katzberg, Marco Arop, Andre De Grasse, Aaron Brown, and others. However, some key events, including women’s hammer throw and men’s 4x100m relay, are absent from the competition. International stars to watch include Julien Alfred, Gabby Thomas, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Oblique Seville, Letsile Tebogo, and Mondo Duplantis, among others.
The Ultimate Championship will be broadcast live on CBC Gem and CBC TV network, starting Friday at 1 p.m. ET. The coverage will continue over the weekend, providing viewers with an opportunity to witness top-tier track and field competition.