BUDAPEST — American sprint stars Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek turned the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship into their personal stage, completing spectacular 100m-200m doubles and walking away with $300,000 each in prize money.
Over two electrifying days in Budapest, Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek each collected $150,000 for winning the 100 metres before returning to dominate the 200m, securing another $150,000 and completing one of the most lucrative weekends in modern track and field.
The performances came at the debut World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a new three-day season-ending event designed to bring faster action, bigger prize money and a more television-friendly format to athletics. The competition featured a record $10 million prize pool and attracted more than 20,000 spectators each night.
Jefferson-Wooden Produces One of the Fastest 200m Runs in History
Jefferson-Wooden was already one of the biggest winners of the opening day after storming to victory in the women’s 100m in a world-leading 10.62 seconds.
But her performance in the 200m took her Budapest campaign to another level.
The American sprint sensation powered to victory in 21.47 seconds, beating Olympic champion Gabby Thomas and producing one of the fastest women’s 200m performances ever recorded.
The remarkable time placed Jefferson-Wooden among the fastest women in history and underlined her growing status as one of the dominant figures in global sprinting.
Just days earlier, Jefferson-Wooden had already shown her extraordinary form in the 100m, where she defeated Olympic champion Julien Alfred in Budapest to claim the $150,000 first prize. Sha’Carri Richardson finished third in that race, giving the American sprint scene another major showdown on the international stage.
Now, with victories in both sprint events, Jefferson-Wooden leaves Budapest with a perfect double — and a massive payday.
Bednarek Finally Breaks Through — Then Beats Tebogo in the 200m
For Kenny Bednarek, the weekend may have represented an even more significant turning point.
Bednarek captured the men’s 100m title before returning to the track to win the 200m in 19.52 seconds, defeating Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo and completing his own sprint double.
The victory capped a remarkable breakthrough for the American, who had previously collected several major championship silver medals but had struggled to secure an individual global title in the biggest races.
His Budapest performance changed that narrative.
Bednarek had entered the Ultimate Championship in strong form after winning another Diamond League title and recording a world-leading 19.62 seconds in the 200m earlier in the season. World Athletics had also identified him as one of the leading contenders in Budapest, alongside Tebogo and a stacked field of international sprinters.
In the final, however, Bednarek delivered when it mattered most.
His 19.52-second victory over Tebogo came just one day after winning the 100m, giving him two major victories and $300,000 in earnings from a single weekend.
A New Era for Track and Field?
The massive prize money was one of the biggest talking points of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship.
Unlike traditional championships, the new Budapest event was designed to experiment with how athletics is presented to fans. World Athletics introduced a shorter, faster-paced format, enhanced television production and new visual innovations while offering athletes significantly larger financial rewards.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe described the championship as an experiment and said successful elements could eventually influence future World Championships and Olympic competitions.
The financial rewards also arrived at an important moment for athletics.
Several athletes have reportedly continued waiting for money connected to the collapse of Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track, making the Ultimate Championship’s guaranteed prize structure particularly significant for competitors. Reports said Grand Slam Track athletes were still awaiting substantial payments after the league’s financial collapse and bankruptcy proceedings.
That contrast made Budapest’s huge payouts even more striking.
More Stars Shine on Final Night
Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek were not the only athletes to make headlines during the championship.
Scotland’s Josh Kerr captured the men’s 1,500m title to complete a remarkable season, while Brazil’s Alison dos Santos delivered another outstanding performance in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Italian high jump star Gianmarco Tamberi also produced a world-leading jump of 2.37 metres, while pole vault superstar Mondo Duplantis helped add to the event’s entertainment-focused atmosphere.
But the weekend belonged to the American sprinters.
Jefferson-Wooden emerged from Budapest with another statement performance in her rapidly rising career, while Bednarek finally turned years of near misses into a defining international breakthrough.
Two athletes. Four sprint victories. And $600,000 combined in prize money.
The inaugural Ultimate Championship was supposed to showcase a possible new future for athletics.
Thanks to Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek, Budapest may have just found two of its biggest stars.
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