Duplantis wins pole vault title as Ultimate Championship opens in Budapest

Armand Duplantis won the men's pole vault title on the opening night of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on Friday, securing $150,000 from the competition's $10 million prize fund. BBC Sport reported that the Swedish two-time Olympic champion overcame a challenge from Greece's Emmanouil Karalis before attempting another world record in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 20,000.

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Duplantis was unable to clear 6.32 metres, a height that would have delivered the 16th world record of his career. His title was already secure before that attempt. The 26-year-old also had a role in the event's presentation: the championship's official song, which he wrote and recorded, was played during the session. He described feeling both nervous and excited about the new competition.

Eight finals took place across three hours as the condensed, three-day championship began. The venue featured a black infield intended to draw attention to the competition areas, while television coverage used augmented reality to show athlete profiles, win probabilities and projected finishing positions. Winners collected their trophies beside the competition area before moving to an enclosure in the stands, where Usain Bolt and Noah Lyles were among those present.

The United States won the mixed 4x100m relay in 39.64 seconds, with the quartet sharing an $80,000 prize. Jamaica finished second, ahead of a British team comprising Romell Glave, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Jeremiah Azu and Success Eduan, who clocked 40.26. Britain's Jazmin Sawyers finished second in the women's long jump with 6.78 metres, adding that result to a season in which she had already won Commonwealth gold and European silver.

Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the men's 5,000m in 12:59.24, accelerating away in the home straight to finish ahead of American Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker. The Norwegian's victory came a month after he returned from a long-term injury to win the European 5,000m title. Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Masai Russell were also among the opening-night winners, according to BBC Sport.

In qualifying, Keely Hodgkinson won her women's 800m semi-final in 1:57.57, the fastest time across the heats. Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol also advanced. Matthew Hudson-Smith reached the men's 400m final after finishing second in his semi-final in 44.79, behind Jacory Patterson, while Botswana's Collen Kebinatshipi recorded the quickest time overall at 44.23.