Ultimate Championship Day 3 Recap / Jefferson-Wooden in 21.47 / Kerr in Control / Dos Santos Delivers / Broadcast Underperformances

Ultimate Championship Day 3 Recap / Jefferson-Wooden in 21.47 / Kerr in Control / Dos Santos Delivers / Broadcast Underperformances

Author: Professor Ross Tucker and Mike Finch September 14, 2026 Duration: 1:01:40

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Show notes


Our recap of the final night of the Ultimate Championship in Budapest:


  • (00:01:53) Jasmine Jones upsets the women's 400m hurdles field in 52.45, while the two who dominated the season may have slightly mistimed their peaks
  • (00:05:57) Alison dos Santos wins the 400m hurdles in 45.98, the third fastest ever run, and we look at what Rai Benjamin's year on the flat may buy him next year.
  • (00:13:10) A solo win for Likina Amebaw in the women's 5000m. She breaks away with a surge faster than world record pace after 2000m, but the broadcast fails to tell the story of her dominant performance
  • (00:25:43) Daniel Sedjati pounces to win a somewhat surprising 800m in 1:41.91. We talk about Marco Arop, who did what was best for him, but also the other main contenders, while Wanyonyi found the 2026 season a week too long
  • (00:32:13) The USA win the mixed 4x400m. We pick apart some of the fastest and slowest segments
  • (00:36:17) Josh Kerr wins the 1500m in 3:29.35 without leaving fourth gear (after being seeded 13th in a 12 man field)!
  • (00:40:41) Kenny Bednarek's 19.52s is the fifth fastest 200m in history, as he delivers what his 100m said he could
  • (00:43:45) Melissa Jefferson-Wooden runs 21.47s to win the women's 200m. It's the third fastest women's 200m ever, and we ask which old sprint record goes first?
  • (00:53:06) Josh Kerr would rather wear his sponsor's kit than his country's. We disagree, and discuss where the Ultimate Championships belong on the global calendar
  • (00:59:26) Our verdict on the first Ultimate Championship, and when it should be held



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