BUDAPEST, Hungary — The long-running rivalry between Josh Kerr and Jakob Ingebrigtsen will get another chapter in September after both were handed exceptional invitations to compete in the men’s 1500 metres at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest.
Kerr, the 2023 world champion, and Ingebrigtsen, the 2021 Olympic 1500m champion, will join a loaded field that already includes American Olympic champion Cole Hocker and Portugal’s 2025 world champion Isaac Nader.
Their additions prompted organisers to expand the 1500m field to 13 athletes, with the extra place carrying US$5,000 in prize money.
The decision was approved by the Ultimate Championship steering board, which determined that a race designed to bring together the world’s best middle-distance runners would be incomplete without both Kerr and Ingebrigtsen.
Exceptional invitations are otherwise limited to one athlete per discipline for the inaugural championship.
“I’m excited to race the 1500m at the Ultimate Championship,” Kerr said. “I’ve made some choices this season that have created plenty of noise, but I’ve always wanted to prove myself in the biggest races, against the best in the world.”
Kerr added that Budapest presented another opportunity to compete for victory.
The Briton arrives after setting a mile world record of 3:42.66 in London in July.
Ingebrigtsen, who already has an automatic invitation to the 5000m as the reigning Olympic champion in that event, will now attempt the 1500m-5000m double in Budapest.
“I love racing and I try to do as much as I can,” Ingebrigtsen said. “I’m excited to run in Budapest!”
The pair have developed one of athletics’ most compelling rivalries, trading victories as well as verbal jabs through several championship seasons.
Their latest meeting will carry an added edge with Hocker and Nader also in the field as World Athletics seeks to fulfil the Ultimate Championship’s stated goal of determining the “best of the best.”
Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi has also received an exceptional invitation and will compete in the men’s high jump.
The Olympic and world champion recently captured his fourth European Championships title after clearing 2.32 metres in Birmingham.
Budapest carries special significance for Tamberi, who won his world title there in 2023.
“I have very fond memories of Budapest, where I won my World Championships title in 2023, and I cannot wait to go back to this amazing place,” Tamberi said.
Four Hungarian athletes and two home relay teams have also been added through exceptional invitations.
Patrik Enyingi will compete in the men’s 400m, Luca Kozák in the women’s 100m hurdles and Sára Mátó in the women’s 400m hurdles. Boglárka Takács has been invited for both the women’s 100m and 200m.
Hungary will also field teams in the mixed 4x100m and mixed 4x400m relays.
The Hungarian invitees will be added to the existing fields rather than replacing qualified athletes and will each be guaranteed at least US$1,000 in prize money.
The World Athletics Ultimate Championship will take place in Budapest from Sept. 11-13, bringing together Olympic champions, world champions, Wanda Diamond League winners and the year’s leading athletes.
The inaugural three-day championship will offer a US$10 million prize purse, with World Athletics billing the competition as a showdown to crown its “champion of champions.”
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