Britain gains its first Ultimate Championship crown as Josh Kerr won the men’s 1500m in Budapest, collecting $150,000.
Kerr, 28, closed a remarkable season with a decisive victory in 3:29.35, moving past American Yared Nuguse on the back straight and holding the lead to the finish. The win came at the new global event staged over three nights with a total prize pool of $10m, which World Athletics president Lord Coe hopes will help shape the sport’s future.
The Scottish runner arrived in Hungary after an exceptional year that included reclaiming the world indoor 3,000m title, Commonwealth Games gold in Glasgow, and a 27-year mile world record at the London Diamond League in July. Kerr had not qualified for the Ultimate Championship by right, the competition normally reserved for reigning global champions, Diamond League winners and top-ranked athletes, but received an exceptional invitation from World Athletics. Jakob Ingebrigtsen had been granted the same invite but withdrew after his 5,000m win on Friday, removing a highly anticipated rematch.
After the race Kerr said, "I am a major championship guy and I will always be that," and explained his selective racing approach, adding, "I was not a robot" and that limiting his programme helps him peak for the biggest moments. He also reflected on his preparation, saying he sometimes disrupts his routine in the final weeks to dig deeper and then push himself into race shape.
The weekend produced other notable performances. Amy Hunt ran a season’s best 22.10 to finish fourth in the women’s 200m, a result she described as a confidence boost after a disappointing 100m. American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden completed a sprint double and clocked 21.47 in the 200m, a time she said she had not expected so soon.
Kerr’s victory leaves him well positioned for the next cycle, with two World Championships and the Paris Olympic Games offering the chance to consolidate his place among the sport’s elite over the coming three years.
