Keely Hodgkinson will not receive a medal if she wins the new Ultimate Championship, a lucrative track and field event introduced by World Athletics. The first edition takes place in Budapest from September 11 to 13, filling the gap between traditional World Athletics Championships and the Summer Olympics in even-numbered years.
No medals, tokens and trophies instead
Instead of medals, participating athletes will receive tokens, while the champion of each event will lift a trophy "designed to connect with their participation token to form a complete piece." The event is designed as a fast-paced, high-stakes finale to the outdoor season.
Individual track events are capped at 16 athletes, field events at eight and relays at eight teams. Entrants consist of reigning Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and top-ranked athletes.
Potential 800m showdown
The event could see a women's 800m showdown involving Hodgkinson, Commonwealth champion Georgia Hunter Bell, European champion Audrey Werro, world champion Lilian Odira and Femke Broeders-Bol, who has recently stepped up from the 400m hurdles.
Hunter Bell has revealed talks have been held about getting the quintet together for an 800m showdown in the Hungarian capital, where a prize of £110,000 will go to the winner. She told the Guardian: "I can't wait for that. Hopefully the big five will come together soon. We've been talking after the races. 'When are you racing? You should get into this one.' There's a good competitive spirit."
Innovations and prize fund
Built specifically for television and younger audiences, each session will last less than three hours. It will focus on 28 core disciplines, omitting longer distance events like the 10,000m and the steeplechase.
Other innovations include a pre-event red-carpet event, live music acts during the session warm-up and "centre court style interviews" shown in the stadium and on the broadcast. The total prize fund amounts to £7.3million, making it the most lucrative event in track and field history. The event will be broadcast in the UK by the BBC.
