MASAI RUSSELL AND MONDO DUPLANTIS LIGHT UP DAY 1 OF THE INAUGURAL WORLD ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIP
By Khimani Clarke
September 11, 2026, 4:09pm
Day 1 of the inaugural World Ultimate Athletics Championship lived up to expectations as the United States claimed the first gold of the championships in the mixed 4x100m relay final.
The U.S. quartet of Baker, Battle, Lindsey and White won in 39.64s for a new personal best, holding off pre-race favorites Jamaica who had entered as season leaders at 39.62. Jamaica took silver in 39.72 with Blake, Clayton, Goldson and J. Smith, while Great Britain & Northern Ireland rounded out the podium in third in 40.26. Hosts Hungary closed out the final with a personal best of 41.21 for seventh.
The momentum continued for the Americans in the hurdles, where world record holder Masai Russell claimed gold.
Russell made her statement in the women’s 100m hurdles, powering to gold in 12.22 seconds. The American took control after the third hurdle and never relinquished the lead.
Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan, the former world record holder, secured silver in 12.34, while the Netherlands’ Nadine Visser took bronze in 12.39, narrowly holding off Bahamian Devynne Charlton, who finished fourth in 12.40. Jamaica’s Megan Simmonds produced her best performance of the season, clocking a season’s best 12.42 for fifth.
The United States dominated the men’s 110m hurdles, sweeping the top four positions. Ja’Kobe Tharp captured his first global title in 12.94 seconds, just ahead of Cordell Tinch, who recorded a season’s best 12.95. Bradley Franklin finished third in 13.01, with Trey Cunningham fourth in 13.08. Both Jamaican entrants had bowed out in the heats.
Italy’s Larissa Iapichino delighted the home crowd in the women’s long jump, winning gold with a best effort of 6.90m. Great Britain’s Jazmin Sawyers claimed silver with 6.78m, just one centimetre ahead of American Alyssa Jones, who took bronze with 6.77m. France’s Hilary Kpatcha was fourth with 6.73m, while American Claire Bryant placed fifth with 6.52m.
In the distance events, Jakob Ingebrigtsen reclaimed the men’s 5000m world title, producing a strong finish to take gold ahead of American Cole Hocker and bronze medallist Thomas Wolfe.
Earlier, Keely Hodgkinson set the pace in the women’s 800m heats, winning Heat 1 in a round-leading 1:57.57. Addison Wiley followed in 1:58.14, with Sarah Billings third in 1:58.37 and Eloisa Coiro fourth in 1:58.48. Shafiqua Maloney finished fifth in 1:58.54.
Switzerland’s Audrey Werro won Heat 2 in 1:59.05, ahead of the Netherlands’ Femke Bol, who comfortably advanced in 1:59.19.
Duplantis brought the night to a close in the men’s pole vault, securing gold with a clearance of 6.20m. Greece’s Emmanouil Karalis took silver at 6.15m, while Norway’s Sondre Guttormsen claimed bronze ahead of Australia’s Kurtis Marschall, with both clearing 5.95m.
With gold secured, Duplantis raised the bar to 6.32m in pursuit of another world record. The Swede was unsuccessful on his three attempts, but still ended Day 1 on top of the podium.
