Among other things, women’s moukari and men’s puck will not be organized in next season’s new Ultimate Championship competition.
Shot putters Silja Kosonen (left) and Krista Tervo will not make it to next season’s Ultimate Championship competition. Jenni Gästgivar
The women’s shot put, which has become a favorite among Finns, is one of the sports that will not be organized in the new major athletics championships in September next year.
– The payer wanted one of his own sports in the program. If the games were held in Finland, that sport would be the men’s javelin. Men’s shot put is Hungary’s strong sport, says Iltalehti’s athletics expert Arto Bryggare.
Budapest will host the Ultimate Championship event of the International Association of Athletics Federations WA next fall.
The English word “Ultimate” does not have a one-to-one translation into Finnish, so we can talk about, for example, “extreme championship”.
– Since the competitions are held in three days and one competition day is a good three hours long, it is impossible to organize all six long throwing sports in that time window, Bryggare says, and by long throwing sports he means discus, javelin and javelin.
The Budapest fair will be held from Friday to Sunday, September 11-13, 2026. On the first day, the men’s javelin is on the program, on the second, the women’s javelin, and on the third, the men’s javelin.
Discus throw and shot put have been completely excluded from the competition.
– It’s a real shame that men’s puck is not on the program. It has clearly been the highest quality and most international long throw sport in recent years.
Also off these
World discus champion and Olympic champion Daniel Ståhl will also be out of Budapest. Jenni Gästgivar
Compared to the regular World Championships, Budapest kickers also lack matches, race walks, 10,000m runs, 3,000m steeplechase and the men’s triple jump. Among the relays, the 4×100 and 4×400 meter mixed races are on the program.
– The endurance run that arouses the least emotions was left out, Bryggare says and refers to the steeplechase.
For female javelin throwers and 10,000 meter runners, the situation is dull, as those sports are not part of the program of the Diamond League final either.
A Finn who has had a long influence in the WA government Antti Pihlakoski characterizes the variety of the new event as a kind of disadvantage.
– In this concept, the focus is on taking competitions through one sport at a time, so the sports had to be limited, commented Pihlakoski.
– It saddens me too when, for example, women’s moukari is not on the program. The list of species should be preserved, so I have openly opposed the decision. I think a four-day event in all sports would be better, he adds.
A lot of money
Shot putter Ryan Crouser has no business in the “extreme championship”. Jenni Gästgivar
The Ultimate Championship event will take place next year for the first time. The working title of the competition was “Best of best” and Singapore was also nominated to host the opening event.
Finally, an autocratic prime minister Victor Orbán led by Hungary pulled the longest haul.
– In 2023, Budapest organized the very successful World Cup. The Ultimate Championship continues the tradition of great competitions. Hungary probably still has the dream of organizing the Olympics, Pihlakoski states.
There is a total of ten million US dollars in prize money. The winner of each category earns 150,000 bucks, or about 130,000 euros.
– I think it’s about WA’s desire to gain visibility. Athletics will not be the number one event next season, like in the Olympic and World Cup years. That’s why they wanted to put such a competition in the European Championship year, Bryggare estimates.
Based on WA’s ranking, the best eight or 16 in each sport can go to Budapest. The Paris 2024 Olympic winners and the Tokyo 2025 world champions are automatically included. There are no land quotas.
Field events and endurance runs are direct finals, sprints also have semi-finals.
Cake on cake?
Athletics influencer Antti Pihlakoski serves on the board of the International Athletics Federation. PASI LEISMA
A week before Budapest, the two-day final of the Diamond League season 2026 will be held in Brussels.
For the most ardent fans of athletics, this is manna, but the basic bench athlete may experience tårta på tårta feelings.
– When more money is printed, the value of money decreases. In athletics, there are champions everywhere. I dare to doubt that the Ultimate Championship event will be a one-off, Bryggare uploads.
– On the other hand: if there is money and enthusiasm from the sponsors, why can’t the event be continued, he adds.
The next “regular” World Championships in Athletics will be held in 2027 in Beijing.
The Ultimate Championship event is scheduled to be held next time at the end of the Los Angeles Olympic season in 2028. According to Pihlakoski, there is no definitive decision on the matter.