The pole vault world record holder, Mondo Duplantis, has been announced as the first “Ultimate Star” just over a year ahead of the inaugural edition of the Ultimate World Athletics Championships, to be held in Budapest in 2026. The announcement comes after the Swedish star set a new world record of 6.29m in the Hungarian capital, reaffirming his status as one of the great figures in the sport.

This new role places Duplantis among a select group of athletes who, in addition to excelling in their disciplines, promote the championship by exploring their cultural passions in fields such as music, fashion, art, and film. The event, which will be held every two years, will bring together the world’s best athletes in a grand season finale, in years when the World Athletics Championships are not contested.

A format that will bring together the world’s best

The Ultimate World Athletics Championships will take place from September 11 to 13, 2026, pitting world champions, Olympic champions, Wanda Diamond League winners, and athletes with the year’s best performances against one another. Twenty-six competitors have already secured their spots as individual Olympic champions, including Duplantis, who in Paris 2024 claimed his second consecutive Olympic gold medal and set his ninth world record with a 6.25m vault.

At just 25, Duplantis has won every men’s pole vault world title since his first Olympic gold in Tokyo 2020, with three indoor crowns and two outdoor titles. Before returning to Budapest in 2026, he will aim to add another title to his résumé at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. For World Athletics, led by Sebastian Coe, the Swede is “one of the megastars of our sport,” and his participation promises to make the Ultimate an unprecedented spectacle for athletes, fans, and the media.