World Athletics President Sebastian Coe laid out the organisation&rsquo;s vision for the Ultimate Championship during a recent visit to Budapest.&nbsp;
Hungary will host the climax to the athletics season on 11-13 September, three years on from welcoming the World Athletics Championships.
And Coe hailed Budapest as &ldquo;the natural partner&rdquo; for the championship, which is set to transform the athletics calendar by celebrating the best of the best in pitting world and Olympic champions against Wanda Diamond League winners and the rest of the world&rsquo;s best to crown the champion of champions.
Speaking at the Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC) Sports for All / All for Sports conference, which included the heads of other sporting federations and former Hungarian President P&aacute;l Schmitt, Coe focused on the new-for-2026 event taking place in Hungary. He also highlighted the importance of athletics and wider sport in shaping society.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We came away from Budapest three years ago absolutely convinced that this is a World Championships city and a country with a long-term, ambitious vision for sport and legacy that goes way beyond a nine-day competition,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;And Budapest has gone from strength to strength as a host of international sporting events since then. So, the city is the natural partner in launching the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in September 2026.
&ldquo;We have created the Ultimate to ensure every athletics season culminates with a major global championship &ndash; one with real meaning for the athletes, fans, media and broadcasters. Our North Star is to maximise our global broadcast audience and so it is unapologetically made for TV to engage broadcasters in a new way to help further elevate national heroes.&rdquo;
The Ultimate Championship aims to put both athletes and fans front and centre, with world pole vault record-holder Mondo Duplantis already signed up as an Ultimate Star, a role which includes <a style="color: #e9ea6b;" href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-ultimate-championship/2026/news/press-releases/mondo-duplantis-ultimate-anthem" target="_blank" rel="noopener">penning the anthem for the event</a>.
Duplantis has already qualified for the Ultimate Championship alongside athletes including sprint stars Noah Lyles and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, 800m ace Keely Hodgkinson and long jump talent Tara Davis-Woodhall.
Of the athletes&rsquo; involvement &ndash; past and present &ndash; Coe added: &ldquo;We are certainly doing things differently with this championship. It will look different, it will feel different. Jamaican sprint superstar Usain Bolt has already been announced as the &lsquo;Ultimate Legend&rsquo; &ndash; the first time he is stepping into an athletics ambassadorial role as he uses his passion for and status within the sport to promote our new event to the world. He will be here with us in Budapest in September.
&ldquo;We are also working with our current stars to give them a platform and space to showcase their passions, talents and personalities in new and innovative ways on the road to the Ultimate.&rdquo; 
&bull; Global championship event: Launching in 2026, the championship will take place every two years and serve as a grand conclusion to the track and field season. &bull; Compact format: A three-day event, with each evening session packed with semifinals and finals for track disciplines, and straight finals for field disciplines. &bull; Elite athlete participation: Featuring 8-16 of the world's top-ranked athletes per discipline, with selections based primarily on world rankings. Approaching 400 athletes from some 70 countries will compete, representing the pinnacle of global athletic talent. &bull; Prize money: A total prize pot of US$10 million, with winners receiving US$150,000, setting a new benchmark for financial rewards in athletics.

World Athletics Ultimate Championship

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe laid out the organisation’s vision for the Ultimate Championship during a recent visit to Budapest

Coe: Budapest "the natural partner" for Ultimate Championship

Entry lists have been published for the Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Bras&iacute;lia 26, with 333 athletes from 40 countries set to compete in the Brazilian capital on 12 April.
Download: <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/69c50e48ea4df9c9b65e2816.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by event and season&rsquo;s best</a> <a href="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/document/69c50e5dea4df9c9b65e2819.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entries by federation</a>
The competition will feature 114 women and 140 men competing in the new standard senior race walking distances &ndash; half marathon and marathon &ndash; for the first time at a World Athletics Series event. Meanwhile, 39 women and 40 men will compete in the U20 races over 10km.
The men&rsquo;s half marathon entries are led by world 20km champion Caio Bonfim, who headlines the host nation&rsquo;s team. Competing on home roads in Bras&iacute;lia, he will take on&nbsp;Canada&rsquo;s world 35km champion Evan Dunfee and&nbsp;two-time world champion Toshikazu Yamanishi of Japan, as well as the top three from the 20km at the last edition of these championships &ndash; Sweden&rsquo;s multiple world medallist Perseus Karlstr&ouml;m, Spain&rsquo;s world bronze medallist Paul McGrath and his compatriot Diego Garc&iacute;a Carrera.
The men&rsquo;s marathon field is also packed with global medallists. Italy&rsquo;s 2021 Olympic 20km champion and 35km world record-holder Massimo Stano&nbsp;lines up alongside&nbsp;Japan&rsquo;s world 35km bronze medallist Hayato Katsuki and multiple German record-holder Christopher Linke.
In the women&rsquo;s half marathon, Peru&rsquo;s 2022 double world champion Kimberly Garc&iacute;a leads the entries. She will face Poland&rsquo;s Katarzyna Zdzieblo, who claimed world silver at both distances behind Garcia in 2022, and Spanish champion Antia Chamosa.
The women&rsquo;s marathon features Ecuador&rsquo;s world 35km bronze medallist Paula Torres, Italy&rsquo;s 2019 world bronze medallist Eleonora Giorgi and Brazil&rsquo;s South American 20km champion Viviane Lyra, another one of the host nation&rsquo;s medal hopes.
Two athletes &ndash; Venezuela&rsquo;s Pedro Marquez Pereira and Italy&rsquo;s Nicole Colombi &ndash; have been entered in both senior events and will decide closer to the time which distance to contest.
The championships will be held in the Brazilian capital, marking the first time the event has taken place in South America and the Southern Hemisphere.
Event-by-event previews will be published on the World Athletics website on 7-8 April.
World Athletics

World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships

333 athletes from 40 countries are set to compete in the Brazilian capital on 12 April

Entry lists published for Caixa World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships Brasília 26

Fresh from the conclusion of the indoor season, the spotlight moves outdoors with the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, the first of 11 World Athletics Continental Tour Gold meetings to be held across five continental areas this year.
World and Olympic champions, medallists from last weekend&rsquo;s World Indoor Championships, and a host of rising talents will be in action. A handful of events will take place on Friday (27) while the main programme is scheduled for Saturday (28).
<h2>Global stars on the field</h2>
The men&rsquo;s discus is one of the standout events on the programme, featuring Olympic champion Roje Stona of Jamaica and Australia&rsquo;s Matthew Denny, the Olympic bronze medallist and second-best thrower in history.
Denny will be looking to improve on his meeting record of 68.17m from last year, having thrown 68.74m in Hobart last month. Also in the field are European and Commonwealth medallist Lawrence Okoye and South American champion Claudio Romero of Chile.
Australia&rsquo;s Nina Kennedy, the Olympic champion in the women&rsquo;s pole vault, returns to action on home soil after missing the entirety of 2025 through injury. She faces strong competition from USA&rsquo;s Amanda Moll, the 2025 world leader with 4.91m, and her twin sister Hana Moll, who leads the world list so far in 2026 with 4.88m. The meeting record of 4.71m could come under threat.
World champion and meeting record-holder Nicola Olyslagers, silver medallist at last weekend&rsquo;s World Indoors, leads the women&rsquo;s high jump field. 18-year-old compatriot Izobelle Louison-Roe also arrives in strong form after recently clearing 1.95m, just one centimetre shy of the Oceanian U20 record.
The men&rsquo;s long jump features 2025 world indoor bronze medallist Liam Adcock, while Japan&rsquo;s Tomohiro Shinno, the Asian silver medallist and recent world indoor finalist, is among the entries for the men&rsquo;s high jump.
<h2>Hunter Bell looks to continue momentum</h2>
The women&rsquo;s 1500m is set to be one of the leading track events of the meeting, headlined by newly crowned world indoor champion Georgia Hunter Bell of Great Britain.
The Olympic 1500m bronze medallist and world 800m silver medallist faces a deep Australian contingent including world cross country mixed relay champion Linden Hall, world leader Claudia Hollingsworth, Sarah Billings and Abbey Caldwell, as well as NCAA champion Sophie O&rsquo;Sullivan.
The race includes four of the six fastest Australian women in history, all of whom have broken four minutes for the distance, and the meeting record of 4:05.97 set by Hollingsworth last year could be under pressure.
The men&rsquo;s 800m is similarly deep and features six of the eight fastest Oceanian men of all time. Australia&rsquo;s Peter Bol, the continental record-holder and world and Olympic finalist, leads the field fresh from his fourth-place finish at the World Indoors.
He will be joined by New Zealand record-holder James Preston, Oceanian U20 record-holder Peyton Craig, Bob Abdelrahim, 18-year-old Daniel Williams, the outdoor world U20 leader, and Luke Boyes.
In the men&rsquo;s 1500m, 19-year-old Cameron Myers makes his eagerly anticipated outdoor debut following an undefeated indoor campaign that included a 3:47.57 victory in the Wanamaker Mile and a world-leading 7:27.57 clocking &ndash; an outright Oceanian record &ndash; over 3000m.
He lines up alongside recent world indoor bronze medallist Adam Spencer, Jude Thomas and Germany&rsquo;s Robert Farken, all of whom have broken 3:32. The meeting record of 3:32.55, which has stood since 2000, could be on borrowed time.
Australia&rsquo;s Georgia Griffith, the Oceanian record-holder, headlines the women&rsquo;s 3000m alongside world 5000m finalist Rose Davies, while Olympic finalist Stewart McSweyn and Ireland&rsquo;s Brian Fay are among those set to contest the men&rsquo;s 3000m.
<h2>Patterson and Gout headline sprints</h2>
US champion Jacory Patterson will contest his first 400m of the year. Patterson broke 44 seconds three times last season, highlighted by his PB 43.85 to win the Diamond League final. He faces world and Olympic semifinalist Reece Holder and fellow sub-45-second athletes Aidan Murphy, Cooper Sherman and Japan&rsquo;s Fuga Sato. The meeting record of 44.82, set by Jeremy Wariner in 2008, could be tested.
The men&rsquo;s 200m sees teenage sensation Gout Gout return to the Maurie Plant Meet, where he will look to avenge his defeat from last year. Earlier this season, the Australian reduced his 100m PB to 10.00 and clocked 20.42 for 200m into a -2.1m/s wind.
He faces compatriot Lachlan Kennedy, the 2025 world indoor 60m silver medallist, who won last year&rsquo;s meeting in a PB of 20.26 to Gout&rsquo;s 20.30. Ireland&rsquo;s Benjamin Richardson, the fastest man in the field with a PB of 19.99, and New Zealand&rsquo;s Tommy Te Puni, the quickest in the field this year with 20.35, add further depth.
Kennedy will also line up in the men&rsquo;s 100m, where he brings a PB of 9.98. He will take on four-time Australian champion Rohan Browning and New Zealand champion Tiaan Whelpton in what promises to be a competitive sprint contest.
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

Fresh from the conclusion of the indoor season, the spotlight moves outdoors with the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne

World and Olympic stars get 2026 Continental Tour Gold under way in Melbourne

World Athletics has made the exceptional decision to allow additional female USA Track and Field (USATF) athletes to run at the 2026 World Road Running Championships (WRRC) following the extraordinary nature of an incident at the recent USATF Half-Marathon Championships that acted as a qualifier for the upcoming event in Copenhagen.
World Athletics has agreed on a strictly one-off basis that USATF will be able to select seven athletes rather than the usual four athletes for the women&rsquo;s half marathon event at the WRRC in September.
An extraordinary set of circumstances at the half marathon championships in Atlanta, Georgia, culminated in the breakaway lead pack of three athletes in the women&rsquo;s race (Jess McClain, Emma Grace Hurley, Ednah Kurgat) being led off course and finishing outside of the automatic qualifying positions.
In working to find a solution, World Athletics has been sympathetic to the impacted athletes who would otherwise miss out on competing at the WRRC Copenhagen 2026, and understanding of the unprecedented situation USATF &ndash; one our leading Member Federations &ndash; has found itself in.
USATF will select their four fastest athletes to be their scoring athletes, while non-scoring athletes (meaning they cannot win medals, receive prize money, nor count towards the team result &ndash; but will receive world ranking points based on their final finishing position) will take the three additional places. The three non-scoring athletes will wear USA national kit but of a different style to the four scoring athletes.
World Athletics
&nbsp;

World Athletics Road Running Championships

World Athletics has made the exceptional decision to allow additional female USA Track and Field (USATF) athletes to run at the 2026 World Road Running Championships

World Athletics statement on USATF participation at World Athletics Road Running Championships Copenhagen 26

Fresh from winning world indoor titles last weekend, Mondo Duplantis and Josh Kerr have both confirmed further appearances on the Wanda Diamond League circuit later this year.
Pole vault world record-holder Duplantis will compete on the shores of Lake Geneva on 20 August, one day before the main Athletissima meeting in Lausanne on 21 August.
The Swedish superstar &ndash; who has already signed up for the Diamond League meetings in Doha, Keqiao, Stockholm, Paris, London and Silesia &ndash; has dominated his event in recent years, breaking the world record 15 times and notching up nine global titles.
Meanwhile, two-time world indoor 3000m champion Kerr will headline the men&rsquo;s Emsley Carr mile at the Novuna London Athletics Meet on 18 July.
Competing on home soil, the British middle-distance star &ndash; winner of the world title in 2023 and two-time Olympic medallist &ndash; will line up in front of a capacity crowd at the London Stadium.
The 2026 Wanda Diamond League season features 15 meetings across four continents, running from Doha on 8 May through to the two-day final in Brussels on 4-5 September.

Mondo Duplantis and Josh Kerr have both confirmed further appearances on the Wanda Diamond League circuit

Duplantis confirmed for Lausanne, Kerr to star in London Diamond League mile

Multiple world and Olympic gold medallists are set for Wanda Diamond League clashes in Xiamen and Silesia, with a world-class men&rsquo;s 400m field confirmed for the season&rsquo;s third meeting in China and a mouthwatering showdown lined up for the women&rsquo;s 100m in Poland.
The reigning Olympic, world and Diamond League champions in the men&rsquo;s 400m will go head to head in Xiamen on 23 May. Olympic champion Quincy Hall, world champion Collen Kebinatshipi and Diamond League champion Jacory Patterson are all set to compete, alongside world bronze medallist Bayapo Ndori and Olympic bronze medallist Muzala Samukonga.
The race will mark a return to Diamond League action for Hall, whose progress since claiming Olympic gold in Paris in 2024 has been affected by injury, while Patterson arrives as the defending Diamond League champion after securing the series title in 2025.
Kebinatshipi and Ndori, meanwhile, won gold and bronze respectively at the World Championships in Tokyo last year, and both were part of Botswana&rsquo;s gold medal-winning 4x400m squad. Samukonga adds further strength to the field, having become a regular presence on Diamond League podiums and having claimed victory in Rome on the way to Olympic bronze in 2024.
Later in the season, attention will turn to Silesia on 23 August, where Olympic champion Julien Alfred and world champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden will go head to head in the women&rsquo;s 100m. The pair have clashed twice in global finals with St Lucia&rsquo;s Alfred winning the 2024 Olympic final ahead of Jefferson-Wooden, who claimed bronze. The positions were reversed in the World Championships final last year, where the US sprinter claimed victory.
They are also tied on Diamond League head-to-heads with Alfred finishing ahead of Jefferson-Wooden at the 2024 Pre Classic before the US sprinter gained revenge at the same meeting in 2025.
Last year in Silesia, in a race where Alfred was absent, Jefferson-Wooden equalled Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce&rsquo;s meeting record of 10.66.
Poland&rsquo;s two-time European silver medallist Ewa Swoboda is also set to compete.
Xiamen is the third leg of the 2026 Wanda Diamond League season and Silesia the 13th, with the series beginning in Doha on 8 May and ending with the two-day final in Brussels on 4-5 September.

Multiple world and Olympic gold medallists are set for Wanda Diamond League clashes in Xiamen and Silesia

Global sprint champions set to clash in Xiamen and Silesia

Debswana Diamond Company has today been announced as the official title sponsor of the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26.
The partnership, which sees Debswana contribute P16 million ($1,171,698) sponsorship towards the World Relays, scheduled to take place on 2-3 May at the National Stadium, reinforces the shared commitment of both parties in advancing Botswana&rsquo;s position globally through one of the most significant international sporting events to be hosted in the country.&nbsp;
The Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 is expected to bring together approximately 1500 athletes and officials, supported by hundreds of technical experts and volunteers. The event will deliver extensive international visibility, with the aim of generating over 102 million online impressions, broadcast coverage in 130 countries and territories, and attendance by more than 100 accredited journalists and photographers. Fans can look forward to thrilling competition in the men's, women's and mixed 4x100m and 4x400m events, featuring some of the world's leading sprinters.
&ldquo;This partnership represents a powerful opportunity to elevate the World Athletics Relays and contribute to the continued growth of athletics in Botswana, while amplifying our global brand presence,&rdquo; said Andrew Motsomi, Debswana&rsquo;s Chief Executive Officer. &ldquo;As the world turns its attention to Botswana, the home of the men&rsquo;s 4x400m world champions, we are proud to help showcase world-class competition on our soil. This moment also allows us to share the background of Botswana&rsquo;s natural diamonds &ndash; a story rooted in positive impact, sustainability and national development &ndash; alongside the sporting excellence that defines our nation.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Botswana&rsquo;s recent achievements at the 2024 Olympics and 2025 World Championships have strengthened the nation&rsquo;s standing as an emerging powerhouse in global athletics. At the Paris Games, Letsile Tebogo sprinted to Botswana's firstever Olympic gold in the 200m and helped secure silver in the 4x400m relay with an African record. At the World Championships in Tokyo, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi claimed the 400m title before anchoring Botswana to a historic 4x400m gold.&nbsp;
Speaking at the sponsorship launch event, Botswana&rsquo;s Minister of Sports and Arts Hon Jacob Kelebeng remarked: &ldquo;We celebrate a truly significant partnership &ndash; one that speaks to the heart of who we are as a nation. I am deeply honoured to formally receive and acknowledge the title sponsorship from Debswana Diamond Company valued at 16 million Pula, on behalf of the Government of Botswana and the Local Organising Committee.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Martin Mokgwathi, Chairman of the local organising committee of the World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26, expressed his appreciation for the landmark contribution: &ldquo;The sponsorship from Debswana is a game-changer for the World Athletics Relays. It reinforces the strength of public-private partnership in Botswana but also ensures that we deliver a world-class event that showcases our nation&rsquo;s capability to host global competitions. We are thrilled to have Debswana on board as title sponsor as we prepare to welcome the world to Gaborone. This is indeed a diamond year as Botswana is the first country in Africa to host the World Relays.&rdquo;&nbsp;
As excitement builds, the Debswana World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26 stands poised to deliver an unforgettable celebration of sporting excellence, national pride and global connection, positioning Botswana firmly in the international spotlight.&nbsp;
Don&rsquo;t miss your chance to witness worldclass relay action live in Gaborone. Tickets are now on sale, and fans are encouraged to secure theirs to be part of this historic event.&nbsp;Purchase your tickets today via the <a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-relays/gaborone26" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official event website</a>.&nbsp;

World Athletics Relays

The partnership reinforces the shared commitment of both parties in advancing Botswana’s position globally

Debswana announced as title sponsor of World Athletics Relays Gaborone 26

The&nbsp;World Athletics Indoor Championships&nbsp;Kujawy&nbsp;Pomorze 26&nbsp;delivered the highest-quality edition in the history of the championships, underlining its status as a key milestone in a packed global athletics calendar.&nbsp;
With a competition performance score of 49,516, the three-day event&nbsp;&ndash; which concluded on Sunday (22) &ndash;&nbsp;set a new benchmark for the World Indoor&nbsp;Championships, surpassing the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;best of 49,348 achieved in Belgrade in 2022.&nbsp;
As the second of six World Athletics Series events in 2026 &ndash; and the only&nbsp;classic&nbsp;senior global track and field championships of the year &ndash;&nbsp;Kujawy&nbsp;Pomorze provided a major stage for athletes to test themselves against the world&rsquo;s best, while also offering an early indication of form ahead of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship later this year.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The World Indoor Championships in&nbsp;Kujawy&nbsp;Pomorze was a veritable feast of athletics,&rdquo; said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.&nbsp;&ldquo;Records have been broken on and off the field of play and our athletes were awe inspiring. Poland has been a fantastic host, with enthusiastic and knowledgeable crowds in one of the heartlands of global athletics.&nbsp;
&ldquo;The World Indoor Championships continues to go from strength to strength. While we reflect on a remarkable edition of our indoor showpiece, we can also look forward to the next two&nbsp;editions, heading to India in 2028 and Kazakhstan in 2030, as well as a host of global events still to come this year, including the inaugural Ultimate Championship.&rdquo;&nbsp;
<h2>Records and participation&nbsp;</h2>
Two world records highlighted a competition of exceptional depth and&nbsp;quality.&nbsp;
Switzerland&rsquo;s Simon&nbsp;Ehammer&nbsp;produced a world record of 6670&nbsp;to&nbsp;win the men&rsquo;s heptathlon, also setting a world heptathlon best of 7.52 in&nbsp;the 60m hurdles along the way.&nbsp;
The Bahamas&rsquo; Devynne Charlton equalled&nbsp;her own&nbsp;world&nbsp;and championship&nbsp;record of 7.65 to win the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles.&nbsp;
Six championship records were set across the programme:&nbsp;
44.76 Christopher Morales Williams (CAN) men&rsquo;s 400m&nbsp; 1:55.30&nbsp;Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) women&rsquo;s 800m&nbsp; 7.65 (=CR) Devynne Charlton (BAH) women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles&nbsp; 6.25m Mondo Duplantis (SWE) men&rsquo;s pole vault&nbsp; 6670 Simon&nbsp;Ehammer&nbsp;(SUI) men&rsquo;s heptathlon&nbsp; 3:01.52 United States (USA) men&rsquo;s 4x400m&nbsp;
Elsewhere,&nbsp;USA&rsquo;s&nbsp;Anna Hall set a championship pentathlon&nbsp;800m&nbsp;best of 2:06.32.&nbsp;
A total of 632 athletes from 111 countries competed in&nbsp;Kujawy&nbsp;Pomorze,&nbsp;comprising&nbsp;323 men and a record 309 women.&nbsp;
Across the three days of&nbsp;competition, athletes produced:&nbsp; 12 world-leading marks&nbsp; Seven&nbsp;area records&nbsp; 46 national records&nbsp; 174 personal bests&nbsp;
The medals&nbsp;table reflected the global spread of success:&nbsp; 16 countries won gold medals&nbsp; 32 countries reached the podium&nbsp; 50 countries achieved at least one&nbsp;top-eight&nbsp;finish&nbsp;
The United States topped the medals table with five gold, seven silver and six&nbsp;bronze medals, extending its all-time tally at the World Indoors to 324 medals.&nbsp;
<h2>Milestones and standout achievements&nbsp;</h2>
The championships also delivered a series of&nbsp;notable individual milestones.&nbsp;
Mondo Duplantis continued his remarkable dominance.&nbsp;There have been nine global championships so far this decade, and&nbsp;the Swedish pole&nbsp;vaulter&nbsp;has won gold at all nine (two Olympics, three World Championships, four World Indoors).&nbsp;
Shot putter&nbsp;Tom Walsh&nbsp;of New Zealand&nbsp;added to his record medal haul with his fourth title and seventh medal. No other man in history has earned more medals at the World Indoor Championships.&nbsp;
USA&rsquo;s Cooper&nbsp;Lutkenhaus&nbsp;became the youngest ever individual medallist and champion in World Indoor Championships history, while Devynne Charlton became the first athlete to win three world indoor titles in the women&rsquo;s 60m hurdles.&nbsp;
Spain&rsquo;s&nbsp;1500m winner Mariano Garc&iacute;a, the gold medallist over&nbsp;800m&nbsp;in 2022, became the first athlete to win world indoor titles at both middle-distance events, while Colombia&rsquo;s Natalia Linares secured her country&rsquo;s first ever World Indoor Championships medal with bronze in the long jump.&nbsp;
The championships also had record depth in the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 60m, men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s pole vault, and men&rsquo;s 60m hurdles.&nbsp;
<h2>Strong engagement on and off the track&nbsp;</h2>
The championships&nbsp;welcomed more than 20,000 spectators across the weekend, with both the Saturday and Sunday evening sessions completely sold out.&nbsp;
More than 70 rights-holding broadcasters delivered coverage across over 130 territories, complemented by global access via the World Athletics+ streaming platform.&nbsp;
The event attracted significant global attention, with 280 accredited media on site, including 141 press and 120 photographers, alongside broadcasters and content creators. About 1100 interviews were conducted in the mixed zone.&nbsp;
In traditional media coverage, there was a 72% increase in media visibility compared to the 2024 edition of the championships in Glasgow &ndash; which was the&nbsp;previous&nbsp;highest &ndash; with 90,000 articles and a potential reach of 41.6 billion.&nbsp;
Nearly 1000&nbsp;journalists and commentators &ndash; both on-site and remote &ndash; used the smart live commentary system. More than 11,000 official data messages and 28,000 live tracking data points were processed.&nbsp;
Digital engagement continued to grow, with a 40% increase in World Athletics website users compared to the 2025 edition and a 60% rise in participation in the &lsquo;Predict the Podium&rsquo; game.&nbsp;
In terms of World Athletics&rsquo; social media channels, YouTube had&nbsp;17.3 million impressions and 3 million views, while&nbsp;Facebook had 25.2 million views. Reach on Instagram and TikTok&nbsp;was&nbsp;2.5 million on each channel, with 37.3 million views on Instagram and 4.1 million video views on TikTok.&nbsp;
The MOWA exhibition attracted 55,000 visitors in the lead-up to and during the championships.&nbsp;
The championships also placed sustainability and athlete welfare at the centre of its delivery. The local organising committee targeted gold-level achievement under the Athletics for a Better World Standard, with a range of initiatives embedded across the event. While the audit process is ongoing, sustainability was a clear priority throughout planning and delivery.&nbsp;
In addition, 323 female athletes completed SRY gene screening tests as part of ongoing athlete&nbsp;support and&nbsp;eligibility processes.&nbsp;
World Athletics&nbsp;

World Athletics Indoor Championships

The World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 delivered the highest-quality edition in the history of the championships

Record-breaking World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 sets benchmark for global season

<ul>
<li>Devynne Charlton equals world record to maintain 60m hurdles reign</li>
<li>USA&rsquo;s men set 4x400m championship record as nation tops medal table</li>
<li>Keely Hodgkinson leads GB gold rush with 800m championship record</li>
</ul>
A world record and two championship records on the final evening ensured that the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 ended in superb style on Sunday (22).
Bahamian hurdles star Devynne Charlton matched her own world record* to become the first three-time winner of the women&rsquo;s world indoor 60m hurdles title, while USA&rsquo;s men&rsquo;s 4x400m quartet and Keely Hodgkinson both set championship records.
World short track record-holder Hodgkinson&rsquo;s performance in the 800m came as part of a gold medal rush for Great Britain, with three crowns claimed in just over half an hour &ndash; Georgia Hunter Bell winning the 1500m and Molly Caudery the pole vault.
Cooper Lutkenhaus became the youngest ever individual world indoor medallist by winning the 800m, while Mariano Garcia added 1500m gold to his 800m title from four years ago.
Sofie Dokter secured the pentathlon title with a world-leading PB score of 4888, while Gerson Bald&eacute; upset the favourites to win another long jump gold for Portugal.
There was one final victory for USA in the women&rsquo;s 4x400m &ndash; that title consolidating the nation&rsquo;s position at the top of the medal table after three days of thrilling competition in Toruń.
&nbsp;
<h2>Charlton equals world record to win third world indoor 60m hurdles title</h2>
Bahamian hurdles star Devynne Charlton equalled her own world record* to secure her third successive world indoor 60m hurdles title.
Clocking 7.65, she matched the mark she achieved to win her first gold in Glasgow in 2024 &ndash; becoming the first three-time winner of this title.
Nadine Visser of the Netherlands secured silver in 7.73, while Pia Skrzyszowska delighted home fans by matching that time for a Polish record and the bronze medal.
The semifinals had given a signal of things to come. Skrzyszowska and Ditaji Kambundji had run a joint world lead of 7.76 but Charlton went even quicker in the next race, clocking 7.74 despite easing slightly as she reached the finish line.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-60m-hurdles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Devynne Charlton (BAH) 7.65, 2 Nadine Visser (NED) 7.73, 3 Pia Skrzyszowska (POL) 7.73
&nbsp;
<h2>Hodgkinson smashes championship record to win 800m</h2>
World short track record-holder Keely Hodgkinson won her first world title with a dominant display in the 800m.
The Olympic champion took an early lead and passed through 200m in 27.26, then 400m in 56.96. Ethiopia&rsquo;s Nigist Getachew tried to go with the Briton but ultimately paid the price.
Hodgkinson led through 600m (1:26.46), by which point Audrey Werro and Addison Wiley had almost caught up with Getachew. There was no catching the double world medallist, though, who powered around the final circuit to win in 1:55.30 &ndash; the second-fastest indoor performance in history behind her own world record of 1:54.87, set last month.
Werro finished second in 1:56.64, elevating the Swiss athlete to fifth on the world all-time list. Wiley took bronze in a PB of 1:58.36.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-800m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Keely Hodgkinson (GBR) 1:55.30, 2 Audrey Werro (SUI) 1:56.64, 3 Addison Wiley (USA) 1:58.36
&nbsp;
<h2>USA breaks 4x400m championship record</h2>
Twenty-four hours after missing out on the individual 400m title in a race where the championship record fell, Khaleb McRae gained redemption by anchoring USA to victory in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m in a championship record of 3:01.52.
Belgium took an early lead thanks to Jonathan Sacoor&rsquo;s 45.83 opening leg, but Chris Robinson put USA in the lead at half way thanks to a 45.16 split. Demarius Smith held USA&rsquo;s lead ahead of Belgium and Jamaica, then McRae anchored the US home with a swift 44.65 clocking, crossing the line in 3:01.52 &ndash; just 0.01 shy of the world short track record.
Belgium took silver in 3:03.29 and Jamaica claimed bronze in 3:05.99.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-mens-4x400m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 United States 3:01.52, 2 Belgium 3:03.29, 3 Jamaica 3:05.99
&nbsp;
<h2>Lutkenhaus makes history with 800m win</h2>
USA&rsquo;s Cooper Lutkenhaus stormed to the 800m title to become the youngest individual medallist in World Indoor Championships history.
At the age of 17 years and 93 days, Lutkenhaus also became the youngest man to win a senior individual world medal, indoors or outdoors.
He surged into the lead with 300 metres to go and could not be caught, striding over the finish line in 1:44.24. Belgium&rsquo;s Eliott Crestan followed him for silver in 1:44.38 and Spain&rsquo;s Mohamed Attaoui finished fast to bag bronze in 1:44.66 ahead of Australia&rsquo;s Peter Bol in an Oceanian short track record of 1:45.14.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-mens-800m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Cooper Lutkenhaus (USA) 1:44.24, 2 Eliott Crestan (BEL) 1:44.38, 3 Mohamed Attaoui (ESP) 1:44.66
&nbsp;
<h2>Garcia gains 1500m gold after 800m win</h2>
Four years after winning the 800m at the World Indoor Championships, Mariano Garcia triumphed at almost double the distance.
The Spaniard controlled the pace for most of the way in the 1500m final, leading through 400m in a pedestrian 1:04.80 and 800m in a comfortable 2:05.58. By 1000m, reached in 2:33.12, Portugal&rsquo;s world champion Isaac Nader had moved up to second place, just behind Garcia.
Nader remained tucked behind Garcia at the bell, but Garcia held on to the lead and crossed the line to win in 3:39.63. Nader placed second (3:40.06), just ahead of a fast-finishing Adam Spencer of Australia (3:40.26).
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-mens-1500m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Mariano Garcia (ESP) 3:39.63, 2 Isaac Nader (POR) 3:40.06, 3 Adam Spencer (AUS) 3:40.26
&nbsp;
<h2>Hunter Bell claims first global title with 1500m gold</h2>
After finishing just shy of the medals in 2024 and then making it on to the podium in 2025, Georgia Hunter Bell graduated to the top of the podium in the women&rsquo;s 1500m.
The Briton kept her cool in a race where Birke Haylom ran away from the field in the first half, building up a 3.3-second leading margin at 800m. But Hunter Bell and Australia&rsquo;s Jessica Hull reeled in the Ethiopian throughout the second half and ran past her just after the bell sounded for the final lap.
Hunter Bell held off Hull&rsquo;s challenge, crossing the line in a world-leading 3:58.53. Hull, who had earned bronze in the 3000m 24 hours prior, bagged silver with an Oceanian indoor record of 3:59.45 and USA&rsquo;s Nikki Hiltz took bronze in an indoor PB of 3:59.68, catching European indoor champion Agathe Guillemot just before the finish line.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-1500m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Georgia Hunter Bell (GBR) 3:58.53, 2 Jessica Hull (AUS) 3:59.45, 3 Nikki Hiltz (USA) 3:59.68
&nbsp;
<h2>Dokter claims pentathlon crown</h2>
Sofie Dokter produced the series of her life to win the pentathlon.
The Dutch combined eventer, who earned bronze in this event at the 2024 World Indoors, tallied a world-leading 4888 to take gold ahead of world champion Anna Hall and world silver medallist Kate O'Connor.
Dokter got off to a strong start, clocking 8.19 to Hall's 8.18 in the 60m hurdles. She then took the lead after clearing 1.87m and held on to pole position to the end.
She threw 13.92m in the shot put and produced the best mark of the day in the long jump, 6.52m, giving her a 78-point lead over O'Connor going into the final discipline, the 800m.
Hall needed to finish more than seven seconds ahead of her Dutch rival, but she came up just short of her target, clocking 2:06.32 to Dokter's 2:12.27. It meant Dokter held on to gold with a PB score (4888) while Hall earned silver (4860). O'Connor took bronze with an Irish record of 4839.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-pentathlon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Sofie Dokter (NED) 4888, 2 Anna Hall (USA) 4860, 3 Kate O'Connor (IRL) 4839&nbsp;
&nbsp;
<h2>Caudery regains world indoor pole vault title</h2>
Two years after taking gold on home soil, Molly Caudery repeated her feat by winning the women&rsquo;s pole vault.
Caudery and Slovenia&rsquo;s Tina &Scaron;utej matched one another at their opening heights, both clearing 4.35m, 4.55m, and 4.70m. They were among nine women to clear 4.70m &ndash; record depth for an indoor competition, and a standard only previously achieved at the 2024 Olympics.
The bar moved to 4.80m and &Scaron;utej and Caudery once again got over it on their first attempts. The seven other women who remained in the contest at that height were unsuccessful in their attempts to clear it, and it meant that bronze was shared by Switzerland&rsquo;s Angelica Moser, Czechia&rsquo;s Am&aacute;lie &Scaron;v&aacute;b&iacute;kov&aacute; and New Zealand&rsquo;s Imogen Ayris.
With just &Scaron;utej and Caudery left in the competition, the bar moved to 4.85m. Both women failed their first attempts, but Caudery cleared it on her second try. &Scaron;utej was unsuccessful with her remaining jumps, meaning Caudery was confirmed the winner.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-pole-vault" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Molly Caudery (GBR) 4.85m, 2 Tina &Scaron;utej (SLO) 4.80m, 3 Am&aacute;lie &Scaron;v&aacute;b&iacute;kov&aacute; (CZE), Imogen Ayris (NZL), Angelica Moser (SUI) 4.70m
&nbsp;
<h2>Bald&eacute; surprises to complete Portuguese long jump double</h2>
Gerson Bald&eacute; achieved the performance of his career so far to complete a Portuguese long jump double.
The 26-year-old soared a world-leading PB of 8.46m in the final round to leap into top spot, ahead of Italy&rsquo;s world champion Mattia Furlani on 8.39m.
Bulgaria&rsquo;s Bozhidar Sar&acirc;boyukov &ndash; who started the contest as the world leader &ndash; was in third place at that point on 8.31m but he couldn&rsquo;t respond when Bald&eacute; replaced him at the top of the season list.
Nor could Furlani, who like Sar&acirc;boyukov closed his campaign with a foul.
That left Bald&eacute; &ndash; fourth at last year&rsquo;s European Indoor Championships and eighth at the last edition of the World Indoors &ndash; to celebrate his first major medal.
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-mens-long-jump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 Gerson Bald&eacute; (POR) 8.46m, 2 Mattia Furlani (ITA) 8.39m, 3 Bozhidar Sar&acirc;boyukov (BUL) 8.31m
&nbsp;
<h2>USA wins women's 4x400m to gain final gold in Kujawy Pomorze</h2>
The curtain came down on the championships with USA winning the women&rsquo;s 4x400m.
It was close between the leading four teams throughout as USA battled with Netherlands, Spain and Poland. But the defending champions ultimately retained their title in 3:25.81 ahead of 2024 champions Netherlands (3:26.00). Spain took bronze in 3:26.04, keeping hosts Poland off the podium (3:26.17).
Great Britain &amp; NI placed fifth in 3:28.09 with a team that included 60m finalist Dina Asher-Smith and 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, who produced the fastest split of the race (50.10).
<a href="https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/kujawypomorze26/news/report/wic-kujawy-pomorze-26-report-womens-4x400m" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Full report</a>
Results: 1 United States 3:25.81, 2 Netherlands 3:26.00, 3 Spain 3:26.17
&nbsp;

Round-up of all the highlights from the third and final evening of action at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26

More records fall as World Indoor Championships ends on a high

The United States duly earned a sixth win from the past nine editions of the women&rsquo;s 4x400m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26.
But, after seeing their men&rsquo;s team win the preceding 4x400m final, the US quartet of Bailey Lear, Rosey Effiong, Paris Peoples and Shamier Little had to weather strong pressure from their Dutch rivals before bringing the baton home in 3:25.81 in the last event of these championships.
Home hopes rose as Poland&rsquo;s 33-year-old last leg runner Justyna Swiety-Ersetic held third place in the final straight before being passed a couple of metres from the finish by Spain&rsquo;s Blanca Hervas.
The Netherlands&rsquo; individual bronze medallist and European indoor champion Lieke Klaver led off with the fastest opening split, 51.16, but a second leg split of 50.83 brought the US team back into it.
Myrte Van Der Schoot, Nina Franke and Eveline Saalberg brought the baton home for silver in 3:26.00.
Just 0.04 behind was a Spanish quartet comprising Paula Sevilla, Ana Prieto, Rocio Arroya and Blanca Hervas which was rewarded with bronze &ndash; a first world indoor medal for them in this event.
That frustrated a huge effort from the home team, who had led off with individual silver medallist Natalia Bukowiecka, rested in the heats, clocked the team&rsquo;s fastest split of 51.25. She passed on to Anna Gryc and Anastasia Kus before mixed 4x400m bronze medallist Swiety-Ersetic brought the team home fourth in 3:26.17.
Great Britain, fielding 60m finalist Dina Asher-Smith and newly installed 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson alongside Tess McHugh and Louisa Stoney, placed fifth in 3:28.09. Hodgkinson, racing less than an hour after her 1:55.30 800m triumph, clocked the fastest split of the race &ndash; 50.10. Asher-Smith&rsquo;s 51.29 was also one of the quickest of the day.
Little commented: &ldquo;We came into the final knowing what we had to do. There is great team spirit and a sense of camaraderie between us. We continue the legacy of US relay success."
Klaver added: &ldquo;It was a nice evening for the Dutch team as well. Nadine (Visser) won silver, Sofie (Dokter) won gold, so we couldn't leave without a medal. During the warm-up, we saw that Nadine and Sofie won medals and that gave us goosebumps and energy to run even better.&rdquo;
Mike Rowbottom for World Athletics
Missed the action or want to watch again? Check out the highlights on&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/world-athletics-indoor-championships-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics+</a>.

The United States duly earned a sixth win from the past nine editions of the women’s 4x400m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26.

USA wins women's 4x400m to claim final gold of WIC Kujawy Pomorze 26

Gerson Bald&eacute; achieved the performance of his life to complete a Portuguese long jump double at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on Sunday (22).
The 26-year-old soared a world-leading PB of 8.46m in the final round to leap into top spot, ahead of Italy&rsquo;s world champion Mattia Furlani on 8.39m.
Bulgaria&rsquo;s Bozhidar Sar&acirc;boyukov &ndash; who started the contest as the world leader &ndash; was in third place at that point on 8.31m but he couldn&rsquo;t respond when Bald&eacute; replaced him at the top of the season list.
Nor could Furlani, who like Sar&acirc;boyukov closed his campaign with a foul.
That left Bald&eacute; &ndash; fourth at last year&rsquo;s European Indoor Championships and eighth at the last edition of the World Indoors &ndash; to celebrate his first major medal.
&ldquo;It was my dream to win this gold medal. I have been longing for this for quite some time now, but I am still surprised as I have never been considered one of the favourites,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;This proves that anyone who dreams big can achieve anything they want. Not so long ago, I would have been sure that a final jump would most probably be a foul due to feeling so anxious about winning a medal. My coach told me to stay calm and that definitely helped my overall performance. Now, I want to go outdoors and show that I can jump far again.
&ldquo;All the other competitors were really strong, but I managed to save my best jump for last. I stayed calm and showed the world what I can do.&rdquo;
Bald&eacute; opened with 8.17m and followed that with a foul, 8.07m, another foul and then 8.19m. That left him in fifth place with one round remaining.
Sar&acirc;boyukov had taken the early lead with 8.22m and improved to 8.31m from his next attempt &ndash; keeping him ahead until Furlani flew to an equal PB of 8.39m in the fifth round. That formed part of a series that also featured marks of 8.25m, 8.23m and 8.16m, despite Furlani suffering illness.
&ldquo;To take this silver with a result which equalled my personal best is just a great job,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It's much more valuable to me because I'm returning from a sick period. I'm feeling better but last night I woke up two times.
&ldquo;It was important for me to make the podium here. I am still young and I want to improve from one championship to another to keep my motivation.&rdquo;
All three medallists have excelled in the high jump as well as the long jump and Sar&acirc;boyukov added his long jump bronze in Toruń to the world U20 high jump silver he claimed in Cali in 2022 &ndash; in a final that also featured Furlani.
Cuba&rsquo;s Jorge A. Hodel&iacute;n finished fourth and USA&rsquo;s Jeremiah Davis fifth. Two-time Olympic and two-time world indoor champion Milti&aacute;dis Tent&oacute;glou of Greece finished sixth on 8.19m. The final also featured South Africa&rsquo;s 2017 world champion Luvo Manyonga, competing in his first major championships since the 2019 World Championships in Doha, but he was unable to record a valid mark.
Jess Whittington for World Athletics
Missed the action or want to watch again? Check out the highlights on&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/world-athletics-indoor-championships-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics+</a>.

Men's long jump report

Baldé surprises to complete Portuguese long jump double in Kujawy Pomorze

Twenty-four hours after missing out on the individual 400m title in a race where the championship record fell, Khaleb McRae gained redemption by anchoring USA to victory in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m in a championship record of 3:01.52 at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Kujawy Pomorze 26 on Sunday (22).
In so doing, the USA claimed their 12th world indoor title in the men&rsquo;s 4x400m, defeating two of their biggest rivals: Belgium, winner of this title in 2024, and Jamaica, the silver medallists in 2025.
Belgium took an early lead thanks to Jonathan Sacoor&rsquo;s 45.83 opening leg, but Chris Robinson &ndash; who had finished just outside the medals in the individual 400m &ndash; put USA in front at half way thanks to a 45.16 split.
Demarius Smith held USA&rsquo;s lead, though Belgium&rsquo;s Julien Watrin managed to close slightly. McRae extended the leading margin on the final leg, though, anchoring the US home with a swift 44.65 clocking to cross the line in 3:01.52 &ndash; just 0.01 shy of the world short track record.
Belgium took silver in 3:03.29 and Jamaica claimed bronze in 3:05.99, just 0.06 ahead of the Netherlands.
&ldquo;Once my guys got me in a good position, I knew I was going to be able to bring it home,&rdquo; said McRae. &ldquo;It was amazing for me to win my first gold medal with a championship record.&rdquo;
Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics
Missed the action or want to watch again? Check out the highlights on&nbsp;<a href="https://worldathletics.org/videos/playlist/world-athletics-indoor-championships-highlights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics+</a>.

After missing out on the individual 400m title, Khaleb McRae gained redemption by anchoring USA to victory in the men’s 4x400m

Matata and Chebet break course records in Yangzhou

Douglas stars as records fall at Jamaican Boys and Girls Champs

Myers, Kennedy and Patterson among winners as records fall in Melbourne

1964 Olympic long jump champion Rand dies

Yimer and Zeray head half marathon fields in Yangzhou