Jefferson-Wooden and Tebogo Named as Team Captains World Athletics Ultimate Championship

World Athletics has announced that sprint superstars Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Letsile Tebogo will serve as Ultimate Stars and team captains for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, set to take place in Budapest from 11-13 September.

With 150 days to go until the new global championship begins, Jefferson-Wooden and Tebogo have confirmed their participation, adding star power to an event designed to showcase the very best in athletics.

Beyond their individual bids to become Ultimate Champions, both athletes will lead the Kids’ Athletics Ultimate Challenge, mentoring youth from across Budapest in an activation at the Zsivotzky Gyula National Athletics Centre on the eve of competition.

‘Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Letsile Tebogo are two of our sport’s biggest stars and we are excited they are committed to the Ultimate Championship,’ said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

‘The Ultimate is all about elevating the profile of our sport and its heroes, both on the track and off, and that includes creating opportunities for athletes to showcase all aspects of their personalities and interests.’

Jefferson-Wooden, who captured three gold medals at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, expressed her excitement at combining competition with community engagement.

‘This is the perfect intersection of track, community, and pouring into the next generation, and that brings me so much joy,’ she said.

Botswana’s Tebogo, the 2024 Olympic 200m champion and World Athlete of the Year, echoed the sentiment, noting his ongoing commitment as a Kids’ Athletics ambassador.

‘Being the best in the world doesn’t just mean winning gold medals. There is a responsibility to give back, and to show young people the power that sport can have in all our lives,’ he said.

The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will bring together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners, and top-ranked athletes every two years to crown the champion of champions, reshaping the athletics calendar and raising the stakes for the sport’s brightest stars.