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• Following knee surgery in March, Candice McLeod sees eighth-place finish at Racer’s Grand Prix as a triumph amidst injury struggles

  In a remarkable display of resilience, Olympic and World Championship finalist Candice McLeod finished eighth in the 400m at the Racer’s Grand Prix on Saturday night. This marked her season debut, clocking in at 55.59, a significant distance from her personal best of 49.51 set at the same venue in 2021. The race was won by Stacey-Ann Williams in 50.86, with the USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson finishing second in 51.05, and Charokee Young third in 51.86.

  McLeod, a 27-year-old two-time World Championship 4x400m relay silver medalist, saw this performance as a personal triumph. Just a few months ago, she was unable to walk and had to undergo knee surgery on March 22, which significantly disrupted her training regimen.

  “There wasn’t much to expect, to be honest. Sadly, I did knee surgery on March 22, so I really wasn’t expecting too much because it’s been just two months including rehab and everything, I really just started track work,” McLeod told Sportsmax.TV after the race. “It’s not something I want as an athlete but it is what it is and we have to work with it.”

  The knee issue had been a persistent problem for McLeod, and the surgery became inevitable when she found herself unable to walk. Despite the setback, McLeod remains positive about her progress. “I am taking it step by step. I have a great support team. The challenge is more tolerable because I accept that I had to do surgery and I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t say I was sad about it but, to be honest, life goes on,” she shared.

   

  When asked about her readiness for the upcoming national championships in four weeks, McLeod responded with cautious optimism. “The objective this season is to see where it takes me. I will just come out and do what I have to do each and every time and then we see where it goes.”

  Reflecting on the difficulties she faced, McLeod emphasized the frustration of being unable to train and compete. “The difficulty was not being able to compete; the difficulty was not training because if you’re not training you won’t be able to compete. I was not training to the best of my ability but I am training every day, I just started running two weeks ago so to be out here running on the track is something good, to me.”

  McLeod's journey back to the track is a testament to her determination and resilience. Her performance at the Racer’s Grand Prix may not have been her best, but considering the circumstances, it was nothing short of a triumph. As she continues her recovery and training, McLeod's focus remains on taking each day as it comes, with hopes of returning to peak form in the near future.

• World Athletics launches groundbreaking Ultimate Championship with record prize money

  World Athletics today announced the launch of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a groundbreaking new global championship event set to transform the athletics calendar and define which athlete is the best of the best – pitting world champions, Olympic champions, the Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s best performing athletes against each other, to crown the ultimate champion.

  Highlighting this revolutionary competition is a record-setting prize pot of US$10 million, the largest ever offered in the history of track & field athletics – with gold medallists set to receive US$150,000. This innovative event, debuting 11-13 September 2026 and set to be held every two years, will first be hosted in Hungary’s capital city of Budapest, promising a spectacular conclusion to the summer athletics season.

  Designed as the ultimate season finale with an aim to captivate millions of television viewers worldwide, the global championship event will feature a thrilling and fast-moving new format for athletics. Taking place over three evening sessions, each under three hours in duration, the Ultimate Championship will showcase the best of athletics, including sprints, middle and long-distance races, relays, jumps, and throws, ensuring a spectacle that both existing and new fans will not want to miss. Athletes will represent their national teams to ensure that individual success is underpinned by national pride.

  Setting a new benchmark for financial rewards in the sport, the World Athletics Ultimate Championship will feature a total prize pot of US$10 million, underscoring World Athletics' commitment to pay its athletes more, provide them with additional earning opportunities and increase their recognition. All athletes competing at the championship will be financially rewarded and the ultimate champions will receive US$150,000 each. Athletes will also benefit from greater promotional rights, allowing them to commercially activate and enhance their personal profiles.

  

  Chosen following a competitive process – which saw interest from a number of major global cities – and after hosting arguably the most successful World Athletics Championships in history last year, Budapest will welcome nearly 400 of the world's top athletes for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship between 11-13 September 2026.

  “With only the best of the best on show and cutting straight to semi finals and finals, we will create an immediate pressure to perform for athletes aiming to claim the title of the ultimate champion,” said World Athletics President Seb Coe. “The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will be high on action and excitement for fans, setting a new standard for track and field events. Featuring athletics’ biggest stars, it will be a must-watch global sports event and means track and field will host a major global championship in every single year, ensuring for the first time that athletics will enjoy a moment of maximum audience reach on an annual basis.”

  “By embracing innovation and breaking away from traditional models, we are looking to reach a broader audience, particularly younger fans, and elevate the entire sport,” said World Athletics CEO Jon Ridgeon. “There will be a strong focus on television audiences, with an aim to reach the biggest global audience possible. We also want to enhance the viewing experience, both at home and in the stadium, so we are looking at what new competition innovations can be introduced, all of which will be thoroughly tested in advance. We truly believe this will be a game changer for our entire sport.”

  “Budapest is truly honored to be the inaugural host city for the highly innovative World Athletics Ultimate Championship. Having successfully hosted the 2023 World Athletics Championships, recent World Aquatics Championships, major UEFA events and many more, Budapest is ready to deliver again,” said Balázs Furjes, IOC member for Hungary and previous co-leader of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23 organising committee. “Budapest is truly one of global sport’s capital cities and 2026 will be a very special year as we host the UEFA Champions league final in the new Puskás Arena and then later that summer the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in the brand new National Athletics Centre. Staging the Ultimate Championship will be a great chance to prove it again, in front of passionate, sport loving fans, to celebrate the athletes from all over the world. Because we just love sport and hosting the world.”

   

  “After the success of the World Athletics Championships Budapest 23, Hungary started discussions with World Athletics about how could we remain active participants in the international field, adding value to the universal family of athletics. Hosting the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Championship is an excellent occasion to keep the pace and together with President Coe we have even more plans to deliver,” said Adam Schmidt, the State Secretary of Sports in Hungary. “These partnerships have a very positive impact on our national sport curriculum and Hungary is always happy to welcome the world in our magnificent capital city, Budapest.”

  As World Athletics continues to prepare for this exciting new championship event, consultation with stakeholders – including athletes and their representitives, coaches, shoe companies, broadcast organisations, Member Federations and many others – will continue throughout the summer before a full event launch this coming Autumn.

   

• Shericka Jackson returns to winning ways at Stockholm Diamond League: McMaster, Clayton runners-up in 400m hurdles

  Shericka Jackson returned to winning ways at the Stockholm Diamond League on Sunday, triumphing in the 200m with a season’s best time of 22.69 seconds. This victory marked a significant rebound for the two-time world champion, who had finished fifth in Oslo last Thursday.

   Jackson exploded out of the blocks and maintained her lead through the curve, holding off a strong challenge from Sweden’s Julia Henriksson, who set a personal best of 22.89 for second place. Amy Hunt finished third in 22.92.

   Several other Caribbean athletes also delivered commendable performances. Rushell Clayton, previously unbeaten in the Diamond League this season, finished second in the women’s 400m hurdles. World champion Femke Bol opened her season with a dominant 53.07 for victory, with Clayton clocking 53.78. Fellow Jamaican Andrennette Knight set a season’s best of 54.62 to secure third place, and Commonwealth Games champion Janieve Russell was fourth in 54.99, also a season’s best.

  

   In the men’s 400m hurdles, Kyron McMaster of the British Virgin Islands ran a season’s best of 48.05, finishing second to Brazil’s Alison dos Santos, who continued his impressive form with a commanding 47.01 win. Dos Santos, who recently defeated world record holder Karsten Warholm in Oslo, expressed his satisfaction with his performance, saying, “It was a good race - 47.01. I think we are just proving that we are in good shape. I am excited for this result back-to-back and I am also looking forward to coming back to the training right now. I am going back to Florida now, will talk to my coach and will work on what I need to work on.”

   McMaster, reflecting on his race, noted his progress despite recent challenges. “I did not feel much during the race and just tried to stay focused and execute. I am catching up. I have been battling some injuries when coming up to the season so I am just trying to execute and stay healthy. I still have got a few more races,” he said. “I have been dropping my times every race so I just need to improve on that.”

   In the triple jump, Shanieka Ricketts secured second place with a jump of 14.40m. Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez won with a leap of 14.67m, and Thea LaFond of Dominica took third with 14.26m. Ricketts decided to skip her last three jumps as a precaution, citing the breezy conditions. “It was a little bit breezy out there this afternoon so I decided to forego my second three jumps as I did not want to risk anything,” she explained. “I need to go back to training now and work on a few things from today that did not go quite to plan. I was confident going into today but there were a few technical bits for me to sort out. I felt a bit rusty today but I am sure it will come together in time for Paris.”