From Mondo Duplantis and Jaroslava Mahuchych to Yulimar Rojas and Ethan Katzberg, the stars of the field events set to compete in the inaugural Ultimate Championship promise a spectacular finale to the 2026 track and field season.
The 2026 athletics season will reach an exciting climax in Budapest this September, with some exciting field events to look forward to.
They include:
Women’s high jump – Jaroslava Mahuchych – Nikola Ollislagers
It will be another clash to watch as Ukraine’s world record holder and Paris Olympic gold medalist take on reigning world champions Australia.
The two top athletes have had a number of close contests over the years, most recently at the World Indoor Championships in Poland, where Mahuchich won and Ollislagers was part of a three-way tie for silver.
Women’s triple jump – Thea LaFond – Leyanis Perez – Yulimar Rojas
After last season and a thrilling climax at the Tokyo 25 World Athletics Championships, it’s anyone’s guess who will end this season as triple jump queen.
Venezuela’s world record holder Yulimar Rojas looked impressive at the start of 2026, clearing a best of 14.95m after suffering a long setback with his Achilles tendon since 2024.
The athlete in her absence was Leiannis Perez, who took Cuba’s gold in Tokyo in a gripping final when she soared to 14.94m, just five centimeters clear of Olympic champion Thea Lafond. All three started the year in good form, although it was Perez who once again took the lead ahead of Rojas in Torun.
Men’s Hammer – Ethan Katzberg – Bens Halas
He has been likened to Thor, while his long hair and mustache combination has prompted social media to question whether he is more Australian than Canadian. But there’s no denying that Ethan Katzberg is the benchmark for hammer throwing.
Moments after winning his second world title and third world gold at the age of 23, he immediately turned his attention to the Ultimate Championship.
In Budapest, he expects the hammer to take center stage in front of a fan base enthralled by the event, and locals will make no secret of their favourite, Hungary’s Bens Halas, who became the first man to throw over 80 meters this season.
Men’s Pole Vault – Mondo Duplantis v Emmanouil Karalis
For some time, fans have been talking about another athlete in the event in early 2026, a potential challenger to Mondo Duplantis’ dominance.
In February, Emanuel “Manolo” Karalis cleared a staggering 6.17m, which eclipsed his previous best by 12cm and placed him second on the world all-time list.
Of course, Duplantis has come a long way since then when he cleared a world record 15th of 6.31m at the Mondo Classic in March. But Karalis suggested he had plenty left in the tank after his 6.17m at the Greek Indoor Championships when he cleared that height with a place to spare. And while Duplantis won world indoor gold, he credited Karalis with piling on the pressure.
But it’s not just the first two, as Curtis Marshall handed Duplantis a shock defeat in Stockholm recently.
Women’s Long Jump – Tara Davies-Woodhull v Agate de Souza
Seven meters is a perennial goal for the world’s best long jumpers, and Portugal’s Agate de Souza is no exception. His best of 6.97m, set this season in Madrid, took him closer to the hitherto elusive mark and he claimed the world indoor title from Poland in March.
But still some way shy of USA’s Tara Davies-Woodhull, Olympic and world champion, who jumped 7.13m last year and has a PB of 7.18m from 2024.
Already this season, there are many other athletes at or near the seven-meter mark. Larissa Iapicchino, silver medalist behind De Souza at the World Indoors, plus bronze medalist Natalia Linares and Malaika Mihambo of Germany are among them.
This inaugural World Athletics Championships takes place from 11-13 September at a spectacular location on the banks of the Danube, just a hop, skip and jump from the heart of one of Europe’s great cities.
The National Athletics Center, innovatively designed to make a lasting impact and become a sports hub for the people of Budapest, will look a little different this time around. The arena’s temporary upper tier was removed to leave a circular plateau filled with entertainment venues accessible to the public.
It is the main competition venue and training center for Hungarian athletics, but is also used by youth and recreational athletes who can find training tracks, running tracks, street training and many other opportunities.
Fans will be able to witness the transformation and experience a unique atmosphere at the Ultimate Championship, launched by World Athletics with the guiding principle of ending each athletics season with a major world championship. It’s intentionally designed to showcase top talent like Ultimate Stars Duplantis and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in a fast-paced and dynamic structure built expressly with fans in mind.
There will be so much to see and do for spectators away from the action. Hosting a large number of major events, Budapest has become a popular destination for international sports and tourism thanks to its historical heritage, modern infrastructure and sustainability. Its rich culture dates back to Roman times and today is a melting pot of diversity.
The Hungarian capital is a city where everything you need is within reach, whether on foot or using extensive public transport links. It is in the heart of Europe and will also be at the heart of one of this summer’s great sporting festivals.
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