Photo via Athletics Weekly

Coe: our season is simply too short

Ahead of the concluding action at the debut Ultimate Championship in Budapest, World Athletics leader Seb Coe argued that professional track and field operates across an overly brief window between June and September. He suggested that climate factors will ultimately force organizers to stretch the schedule, perhaps spanning from May through October by utilizing different global regions, while leaving any October championship slot for his eventual replacement to resolve.

Responding to athlete health concerns, Coe stressed that competitors are never compelled to enter meets, recalling how he supported 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen when the runner contemplated skipping the 1500m final.

Coe hailed the inaugural Budapest gathering as a broad success, noting that substantial payouts provide competitors the financial stability to extend their athletic careers through future Olympic cycles. He singled out Masai Russell, who secured $150,000 for her sprint hurdles victory, and long jump second-place finisher Jazmin Sawyers, whose $75,000 prize funded both another competitive season and a sewing machine.