Faultless Duplantis, hungry Ingebrigtsen shine in athletics’ inaugural Ultimate Championship

BUDAPEST – Seasoned Scandinavian campaigners Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and Jakob Ingebrigtsen shone on the opening day of the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Sept 11.

With unmatched prize money totalling US$10 million (S$12.6 million) on offer over 28 disciplines, Duplantis and Ingebrigtsen walked away with US$150,000 each for winning the men’s pole vault and 5,000m respectively.

Pitched as a season-ending championship to bring together the best of the best, including 26 Olympic champions from the 2024 Paris Games, 26 world champions from Tokyo in 2025, and 25 Diamond League winners from the 2026 season, the opening eight finals more than lived up to the hype.

US-born Swede Duplantis cleared 6.20m for victory ahead of Greek rival Emmanouil Karalis (6.15m), while Norway’s Ingebrigtsen continued his comeback from injury with a stunning win in the 5,000m in 12min 59.24sec, just the second time in his career he has gone sub-13min.

“It was a really fun competition tonight. It was a little bit chilly, but I had a great time,” said Duplantis.

Olympic champion Ingebrigtsen, who will also race the 1,500m, produced the trademark late kick that has become his calling card by moving from the back of the field over the closing laps before sweeping past his rivals with 100m remaining.

The 25-year-old crossed the line, casually stopped the time on his watch, and wagged one finger at the crowd in celebration after holding off Olympic 1,500m champion Cole Hocker, who finished second in 13:00.05, while American teammate Parker Wolfe took third in 13:00.13.

“I haven’t run too many 5,000m races this season, but it’s always good to be back competing,” said Ingebrigtsen, who won his fourth successive European 5,000m title in Birmingham in August in what was his first race of the year following Achilles surgery.

“There was a lot of hope and eventually I got my momentum going. I have gained a lot from the races I’ve done in the last couple of weeks.

“Being injured, I was fearing the worst outcome and did not know if I would be able to run at all, especially at this level.

“This victory is truly amazing.”

Russell, Tharp victorious

Two of this season’s world record holders, Masai Russell and Ja’Kobe Tharp, won their hurdles races.

Russell, fresh from running a pace-setting 12.09sec in Brussels, reeled in the 100m hurdles field after a sluggish start for victory in 12.22, 0.12 ahead of Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan.

Russell’s US teammate Tharp, who set a world record of 12.75sec in June, pipped countryman and world champion Cordell Tinch by 0.01 for the 110m hurdles victory.

The first title of the first night of action went to the United States in the 4x100m mixed relay, giving them a shared pot of US$80,000.

The quartet of Ronnie Baker, Anavia Battle, Courtney Lindsey and Kayla White clocked 39.64sec ahead of world record holders Jamaica (39.72), with Britain (40.26) rounding out the podium.

“It’s really exciting to be the first ever Ultimate champions!” said Baker.

The Ultimate Championship has been introduced to draw new fans, ditching the traditional championship model of three athletes per country in favour of high-stakes fields featuring the world’s top-16 runners and top-eight competitors in the throws and jumps.

The event’s opening night at Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre wrapped athletics in a glitzy production with bright pink and gold lights, darkened stands and a black infield that made the venue feel more like an enormous stage.

There was pounding music and dramatic walkouts – the men’s hammer field entered the stadium to the song Wrecking Ball by Miley Cyrus.

Germany’s world silver medallist Merlin Hummel duly destroyed his rivals’ hopes as he emerged as the surprise winner of the men’s hammer throw.

His best of 81.46m was enough to set himself up as a clear victor over Hungary’s European champion Bence Halasz (80.30).

“It is so overwhelming,” said Hummel.

“I am used to being in the top three but being the first and to win the Ultimate title feels very special.”

Olympic, world and Commonwealth champion Ethan Katzberg of Canada missed out on a podium after two opening no-marks that saw him promptly eliminated from the competition.

“I’m taking some tough lessons today and I definitely could have done a few things differently but I don’t really want to dwell on it too much,” Katzberg said.

“I want to move forward, focus on what I need and get ready for next season.”

The field in the women’s high jump was quickly narrowed down to a showdown between Ukraine’s world record holder Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Australian Nicola Olyslagers.

Olympic champion Mahuchikh cleared 1.99m for the win, while world champion Olyslagers could manage only 1.95m in the chilly conditions.

“I took my first world title here and now at the same stadium I’m making history by becoming the first Ultimate champion,” said the Ukrainian, referring to her world outdoor gold in Budapest in 2023.

Italy’s Larissa Iapichino wrapped up the women’s long jump with a best of 6.90m.

World Athletics said opening night drew a sold-out crowd of 20,557 fans, with 60 per cent of fans coming from Budapest, while the rest were international visitors. AFP, REUTERS