Throughout 2025, a new kind of track and field competition was taking place, one that was bold in both design and spirit. Unlike previous world championships that were part of the Olympic Games, the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship had no heats and no second chances. It was the first time a major championships had been organised independent of the Olympics since 1983.
The event was a success in every sense of the word, with both athletes and spectators enjoying the unique atmosphere. It was not just the roaring crowds in Tokyo that were electrified; the athletes themselves also gave their all, as evidenced by the outstanding performances on the track and in the field.
For example, in the men’s marathon, Tanzania’s Alphonce Simbu pipped Germany’s Amanal Petros by 0.03 seconds to become the first ever winner of the title at a World Athletics Championships. Other highlights included the dazzling performances of Pedro Pichardo and Andrea Dallavalle in the men’s triple jump, Chase Jackson in the men’s shot put, Anete Sietina in the women’s javelin and Daniel Stahl in the men’s discus.
It was also the first time that Jamaicans had a gold medallist outside of Usain Bolt since 2015. Oblique Seville’s victory in the 100m final against team-mate Kishane Thompson and USA’s defending champion Noah Lyles confirmed that the nation is once again on top.