Duplantis and Mahuchikh win inaugural Ultimate Championship titles in Budapest

Armand Duplantis and Yaroslava Mahuchikh won the first Ultimate Championship titles in their events in Budapest on Friday, September 11, with winning marks of 6.20m in the men's pole vault and 1.99m in the women's high jump. World Athletics confirmed both results as its new global competition opened with victories for two of the sport's reigning Olympic champions.

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Duplantis completed every height he attempted through 6.20m without a miss, according to World Athletics' report. Greece's Emmanouil Karalis kept the contest alive by clearing 6.15m, but could not answer the Swede's winning jump. Karalis finished second after one unsuccessful attempt at 6.20m and two at 6.25m. With victory secured, Duplantis raised the bar to 6.32m in pursuit of another world record, but was unable to clear it.

Norway's Sondre Guttormsen took third on countback at 5.95m, the same height reached by Kurtis Marschall and Zach Bradford. World Athletics reported that this was the first outdoor competition in which five men had cleared at least 5.95m. The depth of the field did not prevent Duplantis from adding the new championship crown to a collection already containing two Olympic titles and three outdoor world gold medals.

Mahuchikh's high jump victory was settled at 1.99m, which she cleared on her second attempt. Australia's Nicola Olyslagers, the reigning world champion, finished second with 1.95m after getting over that height on her final try. Olyslagers could not clear 1.99m, leaving Mahuchikh to attempt 2.04m with the title already assured. The Ukrainian missed all three attempts at what would have been a world-leading mark.

Eleanor Patterson of Australia and Serbia's Angelina Topic shared third place at 1.91m. Both were eliminated at 1.95m, the height that narrowed the contest to Mahuchikh and Olyslagers. For Mahuchikh, the win brought another global title in the city where she became world champion in 2023. Her successful opening clearances at 1.91m and 1.95m had both come at the first attempt.

BBC Sport reported that Friday's programme contained eight finals across three hours, launching a condensed three-day championship with a total prize fund of $10 million. Duplantis earned $150,000 for his victory. The event also introduced a markedly different presentation, including a black infield, light shows and on-screen win probabilities, as World Athletics seeks to attract new audiences.