How Kenyan athletes can qualify for inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships offering Ksh1.2 billion prize pool

World Athletics has announced the qualification criteria for the first-ever World Athletics Ultimate Championships, slated for Friday, 11 to Sunday, 13 September 2026 in Budapest, Hungary.

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Hailed as a “clash of titans,” the event will feature 28 disciplines across track, field, throws, and mixed relays, with a staggering $10 million (approximately Ksh1.2 billion) prize pool up for grabs.

Kenyan athletes have multiple avenues to secure a place at the season-ending spectacle.

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Those who claimed gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will automatically earn an invite, while winners at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo will also secure automatic qualification.

The 2026 Diamond League Final in Brussels presents another pathway, with event winners guaranteed a spot in Budapest.

For those who do not win at these major events, qualification will be determined by world rankings during the period from September 2, 2025, to September 1, 2026.

Importantly, there is no limit to the number of Kenyan athletes who can qualify in individual events, offering multiple stars the chance to represent the country.

Kenya can also field one team per event in the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m relays. The top six teams from the 2026 World Athletics Relays in Gaborone, Botswana, on Saturday, 2 to Sunday, 3 May 2026, will earn automatic qualification, while the remaining two spots will be awarded to the fastest teams within the qualification window.

Additionally, World Athletics may extend a single “exceptional invitation” per event, allowing athletes who faced injuries or other setbacks a final opportunity to compete.

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Key dates for athletes include the qualification period from September 2, 2025, to September 1, 2026, the World Relays in May, the Diamond League Final in early September, and the publication of provisional and final entries in the first week of September 2026.

Which events will be contested?

Track (Men & Women) events: 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 110m hurdles (men), 100m hurdles (women), and the 400m hurdles.

Field events and throws: pole vault (men & women), high jump (men & women), long jump (men & women), triple jump (women), javelin (men & women), and hammer throw (men).

Relays: mixed 4x100m and 4x400m

Provisional entries will be published on September 3, 2026. Final entries will be published on September 7, 2026, after the conclusion of the Diamond League final, which will be held on September 5 and 6 in Brussels.