NOVUNA GB & NI ATHLETES LINE UP FOR THE ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

22 Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GB & NI) athletes have made the start list for the inaugural Ultimate Championships in Budapest from 11-13 September. The new biennial competition…

22 Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GB & NI) athletes have made the start list for the inaugural Ultimate Championships in Budapest from 11-13 September.

The new biennial competition hosted by World Athletics has been created to bring together the very best athletes in the world, with Olympic champions, world champions, Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s top-ranked athletes all battling to become the ultimate champion. The first edition will feature 13 individual events for men and women, alongside two mixed relay events, with a record prize fund of $10 million on offer.

Paris Olympic Champion Keely Hodgkinson competes in the 800m, whilst fellow M11 Track Club athlete and European, Commonwealth and World indoor champion Georgia Hunter Bell, who has three major titles to her name this season, will aim to add a fourth major title in the women’s 1500m.

Fresh from becoming a four-time European gold medallist, Amy Hunt will contest both the 100m and 200m, joining rising sprint star Success Eduan, who has qualified for the women’s 200m through the world rankings

In the men’s sprints, European record holder and Britain’s most decorated European athlete Matthew Hudson-Smith will race the 400m and the two fastest men in Europe, champion Romell Glave and Jeremiah Azu will contest the 100m.

Mile world record holder Josh Kerr will make his highly anticipated return to Budapest in the men’s 1500m after receiving an exceptional invitation. He will be alongside fellow Scot, the 2022 world champion and 2025 world silver medallist Jake Wightman, as the pair will take on Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

Speaking to World Athletics, Kerr said:

“I’m excited to race the 1500m at the Ultimate Championship. I’ve made some choices this season that have created plenty of noise, but I’ve always wanted to prove myself in the biggest races, against the best in the world. Budapest gives me another opportunity to do that, and I’m coming to compete for the win.”

Max Burgin and Ben Pattison secured qualification through the world rankings in the men’s 800m, while Hannah Nuttall will compete in the women’s 5000m. European silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers will contest the long jump, and European finalist Lina Nielsen will line up in the women’s 400m hurdles, with both athletes earning their place through the world rankings.

Earlier this season, the Novuna GB & NI team secured qualification in both mixed relay events at the World Athletics Relays in Botswana. The mixed 4x400m squad advanced after finishing third in Botswana, while the mixed 4x100m team qualified via the world rankings.

The teams will be made up of athletes competing in their individual event, as well as Toby Harries, Ben Jefferies and Charlotte Henrich in the 4x400m and Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Elliot Jones join the team in the 4x100m.

The relay events are the only disciplines subject to a one-team-per-country quota. There are no such restrictions in the individual events, unlike at traditional global championships.

Fans can watch all the action live across BBC platforms throughout the weekend. The full schedule for the Ultimate Championship can be found here.

Women

100m

Amy Hunt (Marco Ariale)

200m

Amy Hunt (Marco Ariale)

Success Eduan (Sale Harriers Manchester, Anita Richardson)

400m

Yemi Mary John (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies, Alan James)

800m

Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh Harriers & AC, Trevor Painter)

1500m