Exceptional invitations announced for World Athletics Ultimate Championship

Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Josh Kerr and Gianmarco Tamberi

Now confirmed: list of athletes receiving exceptional invitations

Three global gold medallists, four individual Hungarian athletes, and two Hungarian relay teams have been confirmed for the upcoming World Athletics Ultimate Championship through exceptional invitations.

Great Britain’s 2023 world champion Josh Kerr, who set a mile world record of 3:42.66 in London in July, and Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic champion in 2021, have both been confirmed in the men’s 1500m final.

“I’m excited to race the 1500m at the Ultimate Championship,” said Kerr. “I’ve made some choices this season that have created plenty of noise, but I’ve always wanted to prove myself in the biggest races, against the best in the world. Budapest gives me another opportunity to do that, and I’m coming to compete for the win.”

Ingebrigtsen already has an automatic invitation to the 5000m as the reigning Olympic champion in that event. Now he will contest both disciplines at the Ultimate when it is held in Budapest, Hungary, in September.

“I love racing and I try to do as much as I can,” said Ingebrigtsen. “I’m excited to run in Budapest!”

The two rivals have long sparred both on the track and in the press. Their inclusion in the 1500m at the Ultimate Championship, as part of a field that is already due to feature 2024 Olympic champion Cole Hocker of the US and 2025 world champion Isaac Nader of Portugal, ensures the race will be an epic test of who is truly the best of the best.

The field for the men’s 1500m will be expanded to 13 to accommodate these two exceptional invitations, with prize money to be allocated to the 13th place athlete in accordance with the distribution in other disciplines (US$5000 for 13th place). This decision was made through careful deliberation by the steering board of the Ultimate Championship. While exceptional invitations are otherwise capped at one per discipline for the inaugural edition of the global championship, the board determined this race could not in good faith be considered a full lineup of the greatest athletes on the planet without the inclusion of both Kerr and Ingebrigtsen.

World and Olympic gold medallist Gianmarco Tamberi has been confirmed for the men’s high jump. The Italian most recently won his fourth European Championships title, clearing 2.32m in Birmingham.

“I am really looking forward to competing at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship,” said Tamberi. “I have very fond memories of Budapest, where I won my World Championships title in 2023, and I cannot wait to go back to this amazing place. I hope everyone will come to watch the high jump on Sunday, because now, after the Europeans, the goal is to go all out on that day.”

Exceptional invitations have also been confirmed for the following Hungarian athletes and teams by virtue of Hungary being the host country for the Ultimate Championship:

• Patrik Enyingi – 400m• Luca Kozák – 100m hurdles• Sára Mátó – 400m hurdles• Boglárka Takács – 100m & 200m• 4x100m mixed relay team• 4x400m mixed relay team

Hungarian athletes receiving exceptional invitations will be guaranteed US$1000 in prize money, as they will be added to their respective disciplines, increasing those field sizes by one.

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship, taking place on 11-13 September, is designed to settle the debate over who is the best of the best – with world champions, Olympic champions, Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s top-ranked athletes all striving to be crowned the champion of champions. The first edition will feature a historic prize pot of $10 million.

Learn more about the Ultimate Championship here, and tickets for the event can be purchased at ultimateathleticschampionship.com/tickets.