Audrey Werro beat Keely Hodgkinson in a gripping women’s 800m final, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden clocked a world leading 10.62 in the women’s 100m and Collen Kebinatshipi ran a Botswana record of 43.39 in the men’s 400m. Mark English provided the Irish highlight by qualifying fastest for Sunday’s 800m final.
The second evening of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship delivered nine title races at the National Athletics Centre, with several of the biggest names in the sport producing performances worthy of the occasion.
Werro’s victory over Hodgkinson supplied one of the night’s most compelling contests, while Jefferson-Wooden and Kenny Bednarek completed a United States double in the 100m finals. Kebinatshipi produced the quickest performance of all, moving to fifth on the world all time list over 400m.
English Fastest Into 800m Final
Mark English carried the Irish interest on Saturday evening and did far more than simply secure his place in the men’s 800m final.
The European champion sat third at the bell before dropping to fourth with 200 metres remaining. He stayed within striking distance around the final bend and then produced his familiar late surge, passing three athletes in the home straight to win the second semi final in 1:43.74.
Italy’s Francesco Pernici followed in 1:43.80, with former world champion Marco Arop third in 1:44.21 and Djamel Sedjati taking the fourth qualifying place in 1:44.23.
English’s time was the fourth quickest of his career and the fastest across both semi finals. Brandon Miller won the opening race in 1:43.86, while Olympic champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi advanced in fourth place in 1:44.43.
Audrey Werro took command of the women’s 800m from the gun and refused to surrender it, holding off Olympic and world champion Keely Hodgkinson to win in 1:55.88.
The Swiss athlete committed to a fast race from the outset. Hodgkinson remained close enough to challenge in the closing straight, but Werro had enough left to retain her advantage and take the inaugural Ultimate title. Hodgkinson finished second in 1:56.26, with Femke Broeders-Bol third in 1:56.74.
Werro arrived in Budapest unbeaten outdoors this season and had already run 1:53.70, the third fastest women’s 800m in history. This latest win completed that unbeaten campaign and confirmed her position at the head of the event in 2026.
United States Claim 100m Double
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden delivered the fastest women’s 100m performance of the year, pulling clear of a high quality field to win in 10.62 despite a slight headwind.
The time moved the American to joint seventh on the world all time list. Olympic champion Julien Alfred took second in 10.74, while Sha’Carri Richardson produced a season best of 10.76 for third.
Kenny Bednarek followed with victory in the men’s race, recording a season best of 9.85. Oblique Seville was second in 9.90 and Ronnie Baker completed an American one three in 9.93. Six men broke 10 seconds despite a headwind of 0.6 metres per second.
Kebinatshipi Moves to Fifth in History
Collen Kebinatshipi produced the performance of the evening in the men’s 400m, winning by a wide margin in a Botswana record of 43.39.
The 22 year old had lowered his national record to 43.40 in Brussels only a week earlier. He found another one hundredth of a second in Budapest to become the fifth fastest man in history, finishing 0.76 seconds clear of Rai Benjamin. Benjamin took silver in 44.15, with Jereem Richards third in 44.23.
Marileidy Paulino maintained her unbeaten season in the women’s 400m. The Dominican Republic athlete appeared out of contention during the middle of the race but finished powerfully to win in 49.07. Norway’s Henriette Jæger clocked 49.28 for second, while Nickisha Pryce took third in 49.56.
Kazimierska Holds Off Hunter Bell
Klaudia Kazimierska won a tightly contested women’s 1500m final in 3:57.55, keeping Georgia Hunter Bell behind her during a fierce battle down the closing straight.
Hunter Bell finished just 0.17 seconds behind in 3:57.72, with Nikki Hiltz taking third in 3:58.16. Less than three seconds separated the first nine athletes in one of the evening’s closest finals.
Kitaguchi Leads the Field Event Winners
Haruka Kitaguchi produced a Japanese record of 68.92m to win the women’s javelin. The 18 year old Yan Ziyi of China also passed 68 metres, taking second with 68.05m, while Colombia’s Flor Denis Ruiz Hurtado finished third with 64.84m. It was the first women’s javelin competition in 14 years to feature two throws beyond 68 metres.
Sandi Morris and Hana Moll both cleared 4.90m in the women’s pole vault, with Morris taking the title on countback. Angelica Moser earned third place with 4.85m.
The men’s long jump was settled by a single centimetre. Miltiadis Tentoglou claimed the crown with 8.35m, edging Bozhidar Saraboyukov’s 8.34m, while Simon Ehammer placed third with 8.07m.
Major 400m Hurdles Finals Set
Alison dos Santos led the men’s 400m hurdles qualifiers with 47.25, ahead of Benjamin’s 47.49 in the opening semi final. Benjamin produced that run less than two hours after finishing second in the flat 400m final.
Karsten Warholm won the other semi final in 47.68, setting up another meeting between the three leading figures of this era in Sunday’s final.
Jasmine Jones was fastest in the women’s 400m hurdles semi finals with a season best of 52.77. Emma Zapletalová won the opening race in 52.93, while Anna Cockrell, Dalilah Muhammad, Rushell Clayton and Gianna Woodruff also secured places in the final.
The championship concludes on Sunday with two Irish athletes in action. Rhasidat Adeleke contests the women’s 200m semi final at 5.44pm Irish time, with the final scheduled for 7.49pm if she advances. English returns for the men’s 800m final at 6.41pm after setting the pace in qualifying.
