Alaysha Johnson, a 2023 Pan American Games bronze medallist in the 100m hurdles, has voiced strong criticism of World Athletics’ newly unveiled Ultimate Championships, raising questions about the event’s format and the motivations behind it. Set to debut in Budapest in 2026, the Ultimate Championships promises to be a high-energy, three-night spectacle with a $10 million prize pool. While the event aims to revolutionize track and field by blending sports with entertainment, it has sparked controversy, particularly among athletes who feel excluded from the decision-making process.
The Ultimate Championships, described as a “festival of sport,” will feature 28 fast-paced competitions designed to capture the attention of a broader audience. The event is marketed as a way to modernize athletics, turning it into a more thrilling and media-friendly product. However, for Johnson and other athletes, these changes feel more like a step backward than forward, as they question whether the sport’s core values are being sacrificed in favor of flashy entertainment.
One of the most contentious aspects of the event is the exclusion of several traditional competitions. Notably, the shuttle hurdle relay, a fan-favorite event, will not be included in the new format. Johnson, who has competed in this event and found it exhilarating both as a participant and a spectator, expressed her disappointment on social media. Her post voiced a frustration that has since been echoed by many in the athletics community, who feel that the decision reflects a broader trend of sidelining the voices of athletes in favor of commercial interests. In her tweet, Johnson jokingly appealed to other sports like cheerleading and softball for the shuttle hurdle relay to find a home elsewhere, illustrating the depth of her dissatisfaction.
In place of the shuttle hurdle relay, the Ultimate Championships will feature a mixed 4x100m relay, pairing male and female athletes in the same race. While mixed relays have gained popularity in recent years, especially at the Olympics, Johnson and others argue that this move feels more like a gimmick to cater to an entertainment-driven audience than a genuine evolution of the sport. The mixed 4x100m relay is seen by some as a forced addition that may dilute the integrity of the competition. Despite Johnson’s concerns, World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon defended the decision, pointing to the success of other mixed relay events like the mixed 4x400m, which he claims has been well-received by both athletes and spectators.
Another major change is the omission of several classic track and field events, such as the men’s triple jump, women’s hammer throw, and steeplechase. These events, deeply rooted in the sport’s history, will be left out in favor of a more condensed and streamlined program. The Ultimate Championships will be designed to fit into a three-hour block each night, with the aim of maintaining the event’s fast-paced, high-energy appeal. Ridgeon explained that the focus on speed and time constraints means that certain events, including the decathlon and heptathlon, will also be cut from the program. This has led to further frustration among athletes, who feel that such important competitions are being sacrificed in the name of efficiency and commercial appeal.
For many athletes, the decision to prioritize spectacle over tradition has cast a shadow over the Ultimate Championships’ potential. While the promise of a large prize pool, including $150,000 for each gold medalist, may seem enticing, critics argue that the move away from beloved events undermines the authenticity of track and field. The sport’s appeal lies not only in its athleticism but also in its deep-rooted traditions, which many feel should not be compromised for the sake of entertainment.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe attempted to spin the changes as a positive development, framing the Ultimate Championships as a fresh approach to bringing in new audiences. He described the format as a “festival of sport,” one that would appeal to younger viewers and invigorate the athletics scene. However, this vision of modernization is not universally embraced. Johnson’s emotional response to the changes reflects the sentiments of many athletes who feel that their contributions to the sport are being disregarded in favor of a more commercialized version of athletics. For them, the new format represents a shift away from the essence of track and field, where the focus was on the athletes and the integrity of the competition.
While the introduction of the Ultimate Championships is still a few years away, the controversy surrounding its format is already making waves in the athletics community. For athletes like Alaysha Johnson, the event’s changes represent a betrayal of the sport’s heritage, and a reminder of the delicate balance between tradition and progress in the world of professional athletics.
