Team USA’s Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek closed out the final night of the Ultimate Championship in Budapest with a statement on Sunday after winning their second titles of the competition and both grabbing world leads along the way in the 200m.
In a scene that echoed their performances just a day earlier, Jefferson-Wooden and Bednarek emerged as the top winners of the inaugural event and put a clear word out to the track and field world that the season would end with a script that felt tailored to those watching well beyond National Athletics Centre.
Jefferson-Wooden had an electric start out of the blocks and powered her way through the turn with authority, which proved to be the difference maker as she leaned in to the final 100 meters with only teammate Kayla White to her right in lane 9 as the initial challenge as Gabby Thomas closed in quickly.
But a final surge gave Jefferson-Wooden a decisive win in 21.47 and a world lead. Thomas took second in 21.77 while White was third in 21.93 for an all-American sweep of the event.
“I did not see 20.47 coming tonight! I told myself that I need to be smart in the semi-final and save some energy,” Jefferson-Wooden said. “I knew when I came out of the curves in the semi-final it will be just enough to qualify for the final. I never thought that people like Usain Bolt would watch my races and even have great reactions to my performances. He said to me earlier this week how proud he is of me for making it seem so easy.”
The men’s 200m final proved to be a similar scenario just like the women’s race moments earlier, as Bednarek simply dominated the field on the way to his own world lead in 19.52 in a race that not only carried a huge payday but carried the symbolism that he was the undisputed kind of the shorts sprints this year.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo settled for second in 19.76 and Team USA’s Courtney Lindsey took third in 19.79.
“This is a phenomenal event and I’m happy that it is showing our sport in a different light,” Bednarek said. “This was the year where I focused on making progress. I need to look back at what I did overall but I believe I did well. Coming home with two wins in Budapest is amazing.”
Great Britain’s Josh Kerr surged to the title in the men’s 1,500m in 3:29.35 in a daring finish that came down to him making a decisive move on the final turn and bolting away from the pack on the last 200 meters to pull ahead of Australia’s Cam Myers (3:29.68) and Team USA’s Hobbs Kesser (3:30.73).
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos cruised to the win in the men’s 400m hurdles in 45.98 over Team USA’s Rai Benjamin (46.40) and Norway’s Karsten Warholm (46.78) while Sri Lanka’s Rumesh Thranga was the only competitor over 90 meters in the men’s javelin with a 91.09m throw ahead of Grenada’s Anderson Peters (86.18m) and Germany’s Julian Weber (85.89m).
Ethiopia’s Likina Amebaw took the women’s 5,000m in a commanding 14:30.36 victory over Australia’s Jessica Hull (14:32.39) and Fantaye Belayneh (14:32.62) as Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi leaped to a world lead in the men’s high jump in 2.37m ahead of Team USA’s JuVaughn Harrison (2.30m) and Mexico’s Erick Portillo (2.26m), while Senegal’s Saly Sarr took the win in the women’s long jump in 15.06m over Cuban teammates Davisleydi Velazco (15.04m) and teammate Leyanis Pérez (4.90)
Team USA’s Jasmine Jones executed on her way to the women’s 400m hurdles title in 52.45 over Slovakia’s Emma Zapletalová (52.68) and fellow American Anna Cockrell (53.09) as Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati grabbed the win in a stunning upset in the men’s 800m in 1:41.91 as he powered by Canada’s Marco Arop (1:42.28) and Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi (1:42.44).
2026 Ultimate Championship Results – Day 3
Women’s 400m Hurdles
1. Jasmine Jones (USA) – 52.45
2. Emma Zapletalová (Slovakia) – 52.68
3. Anna Cockrell (USA) – 53.09
Men’s Javelin Throw
1. Rumesh Tharanga (Sri Lanka) – 91.09m
2. Anderson Peters (Grenada) – 86.18m
3. Julian Weber (Germany) – 85.89m
Men’s 400m Hurdles
1. Alison dos Santos (Brazil) – 45.98
2. Rai Benjamin (USA) – 46.40
3. Karsten Warholm (Norway) – 46.78
Men’s High Jump
1. Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) – 2.37m WL
2. JuVaughn Harrison (USA) – 2.30m
3. Erick Portillo (Mexico) – 2.26m
Women’s 5,000m
1. Likina Amebaw (Ethiopia) – 14:30.36
2. Jessica Hull (Australia) – 14:32.39
3. Fantaye Belayneh (Ethiopia) – 14:32.62
Women’s Triple Jump
1. Saly Sarr (Senegal) – 15.06m
2. Davisleydi Velazco (Cuba) – 15.04m
3. Leyanis Pérez (Cuba) – 14.90m
Men’s 800m
1. Djamel Sedjati (Algeria) – 1:41.91
2. Marco Arop (Canada) – 1:42.28
3. Emmanuel Wanyonyi (Kenya) – 1:42.44
Mixed 4×400m Relay
1. Team USA – 3:08.32
2. Great Britain – 3:09.40
3. The Netherlands – 3:09.57
Men’s 1,500m
1. Josh Kerr (Great Britain) – 3:29.35
2. Cameron Myers (Australia) – 3:29.68
3. Hobbs Kesser (USA) – 3:30.73
Men’s 200m
1. Kenny Bednarek (USA) – 19.52 WL
2. Letsile Tebogo (Botswana) – 19.76
3. Courtney Lindsey (USA) – 19.79
Women’s 200m
1. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) – 21.47 WL
2. Gabrielle Thomas (USA) – 21.77
3. Kayla White (USA) – 21.93
