Nigeria is set for a strong showing at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, with some of the country’s brightest athletics stars preparing to compete against the world’s best in Budapest, Hungary, from September 11–13, Trybal News reports.
The three-day championship at the National Athletics Centre will bring together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and the leading performers of the 2026 season in a new elite competition designed to crown the ultimate champions in track and field.
Nigeria’s current qualified athletes include Tobi Amusan, Kayinsola Ajayi, Nathaniel Ezekiel, Samuel Ogazi and Ella Onojuvwevwo, while additional athletes remain in contention ahead of the September 2 qualification deadline.
Among Nigeria’s strongest medal prospects is Kayinsola Ajayi, who has enjoyed a remarkable breakthrough season in the men’s 100m. The 21-year-old currently ranks fifth in the world and has equalled Nigeria’s national record of 9.84 seconds three times in 2026. His season includes an NCAA title and two Diamond League victories, establishing him as one of the fastest emerging sprinters in the world.
Tobi Amusan will bring considerable experience to the Nigerian team. The women’s 100m hurdles world-record holder, with a best of 12.12 seconds, is currently ranked second globally and has won the Diamond League Final three times. She will be seeking another major international title against a field packed with world-class hurdlers.
In the men’s 400m hurdles, Nathaniel Ezekiel enters the competition ranked fourth in the world. The Nigerian record holder, whose national mark stands at 47.11 seconds, has continued to establish himself among the global elite and arrives in Budapest as a Diamond League meeting winner and Commonwealth champion.
Another major Nigerian prospect is Samuel Ogazi, whose rapid rise has made him one of the country’s biggest athletics stars. The 20-year-old Commonwealth champion set a Nigerian record of 43.38 seconds in June before winning the Commonwealth Games 400m title in 44.25 seconds. His performance in Glasgow came just 0.01 seconds short of the Commonwealth Games record.
Ella Onojuvwevwo will also make Nigeria’s presence felt in the women’s 400m following a breakthrough 2026 season. She became the first Nigerian woman in more than two decades to break 50 seconds, running 49.59 seconds, before winning bronze at the Commonwealth Games. Earlier in the year, she also set an African indoor record of 50.28 seconds.
Nigeria’s relay ambitions could further strengthen the country’s presence in Budapest, with athletes including Alaba Akintola, Udodi Onwuzurike, Favour Ashe, Miracle Ezechukwu, Rosemary Chigozie and Jennifer Obi Chukwukaamong those in contention, subject to final qualification and selection.
The Nigerian contingent will face a formidable international field featuring Olympic champions such as Mondo Duplantis, Noah Lyles, Julien Alfred, Faith Kipyegon, Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Rai Benjamin and Marileidy Paulino, alongside reigning world champions including Femke Bol, Letsile Tebogo, Oblique Seville, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Nicola Olyslagers and Ditaji Kambundji.
With the qualification window remaining open until September 2, Nigeria could still increase its representation before the team departs for Budapest.
The championship will feature a record US$10 million prize pool, with each individual gold medallist receiving US$150,000, adding further significance to what is expected to become one of the most prestigious events on the 2026 athletics calendar.
For Nigeria, Budapest represents more than an opportunity to compete for medals. It offers a global stage for a new generation led by Ajayi, Ogazi, Ezekiel and Onojuvwevwo, alongside established champion Amusan, to demonstrate that Nigerian athletics remains capable of producing world-class talent.
