New mixed 4x100m relay added to 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship

The inaugural 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest will feature the new mixed 4x100 metres relay where athletes will compete in national kits while representing both themselves and their national teams, the sport’s governing body said on Friday as it announced the list of disciplines. In May, World Athletics unveiled plans to test new events such as a mixed 4x100 metres relay and a steeplechase mile in their four-year business strategy, published with the aim of providing faster-paced and more exciting events. “This new global event will be a game-changer for our sport and for our athletes,” World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said in a statement. READ: Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo aims to inspire next generation of African athletes “We want to bring our fans athletics like they have never seen it before – with the best of the best athletes in our sport competing head-to-head in a passion-fuelled, high octane, festival of sport, with sound, light and innovation.” The inaugural championships are scheduled for three evenings, from September 11-13, with each session taking place in under three hours, in a bid to offer a fast-paced event to captivate global television viewers.