World track body creates biennial championships with bigger cash prizes as potential Olympics rival
Track and field's World Athletics has announced a new global championships that promises $150,000 prizes for gold medalists
By Graham Dunbar
Published - Jun 03, 2024, 07:31 AM ET
Last Updated - Jun 03, 2024, 07:31 AM EDT
GENEVA (AP) — Track and field announced a new global championships on Monday and promised $150,000 prizes — three times its recent cash pledge to champions at the Paris Olympics — for gold medalists.
World Athletics said the first Ultimate Championships will be hosted in Budapest from Sept. 11-13, 2026 showcasing Olympic, world and Diamond League champions over three evening sessions.
Eight or 16 athletes in each event will compete for a total prize fund of $10 million that is the sport’s richest ever.
In what could directly challenge the Olympics, the Ultimate Championships are set to be staged every two years, dovetailing with world championships held every two years in odd-numbered years.
