Usain Bolt returns as World Athletics ambassador
TOI World Desk | TOI Global Desk | Sep 08, 2025, 23:27 IST
Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist and sprinting legend, has been named “Ultimate Legend” by World Athletics. He will promote the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, set for Budapest in 2026. This high-stakes event will feature elite athletes competing for season-ending titles, aiming to elevate global interest in track and field.
Usain Bolt, the fastest man in history and an icon of modern sports, is making a triumphant return to the world of athletics. The eight-time Olympic gold medalist has been named the “Ultimate Legend” by World Athletics. It has been done to help launch and promote the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, a high-stakes global event which is set to debut in Budapest from September 11 to 13, 2026.
This new championship marks a bold step in reimagining track and field. The event has been designed as a season-ending performance. It will bring together the world’s top-ranked athletes, including reigning Olympic champions, World Champions, and Diamond League winners, for three intense days of competition. The goal is to crown the “Ultimate Champion” in each discipline, bringing clarity and excitement to the end of the athletic season.
For Bolt, this is more than a title; it's a return to the sport that made him a global icon. “The idea behind the World Athletics Ultimate Championship is brilliant,” said Bolt in a statement released by World Athletics. “The absolute best of the best facing off—major global stars, big money, even bigger personalities, no excuses. Let’s just say I would have loved to be competing in this box-office championship.”
The Jamaican legend’s appointment as Ultimate Legend comes shortly after Swedish pole vault star and world record-holder Mondo Duplantis was introduced as the event’s first “Ultimate Star.” Together, these roles are part of World Athletics’ larger strategy to boost the profile of the sport and attract a wider global audience.
Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, emphasized Bolt’s ongoing impact on the sport. “The title of Ultimate Legend is fitting for one of the true icons of our sport. Usain transcends athletics. He continues to elevate the profile of the sport and inspire athletes around the globe, proving what is possible—on and off the field of play.”
In his new ambassadorial role, Bolt will make promotional efforts for the Ultimate Championship, starting with a major appearance at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. He is expected to attend select evening sessions at Japan National Stadium and will help mark the one-year countdown to the launch of the Budapest event.
The format of the Ultimate Championship promises high-octane action in a condensed time frame, with three jam-packed sessions over three days. 26 reigning Olympic champions have already qualified, and additional athletes will earn their spots through upcoming global competitions. The focus is to ensure that the world’s top performers end the season with a definitive title.
For Bolt, whose career transformed track and field into a prime-time spectacle, this is a fitting new chapter. “I’m honored to take on the role of Ultimate Legend to help spread the word,” he said. “Athletics remains a huge part of my life. I saw our sport go through many changes during my time on the track, and it’s important that it continues to innovate. This new global championship will help to showcase and grow track and field and its incredible stars.”
This new championship marks a bold step in reimagining track and field. The event has been designed as a season-ending performance. It will bring together the world’s top-ranked athletes, including reigning Olympic champions, World Champions, and Diamond League winners, for three intense days of competition. The goal is to crown the “Ultimate Champion” in each discipline, bringing clarity and excitement to the end of the athletic season.
For Bolt, this is more than a title; it's a return to the sport that made him a global icon. “The idea behind the World Athletics Ultimate Championship is brilliant,” said Bolt in a statement released by World Athletics. “The absolute best of the best facing off—major global stars, big money, even bigger personalities, no excuses. Let’s just say I would have loved to be competing in this box-office championship.”
The Jamaican legend’s appointment as Ultimate Legend comes shortly after Swedish pole vault star and world record-holder Mondo Duplantis was introduced as the event’s first “Ultimate Star.” Together, these roles are part of World Athletics’ larger strategy to boost the profile of the sport and attract a wider global audience.
Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, emphasized Bolt’s ongoing impact on the sport. “The title of Ultimate Legend is fitting for one of the true icons of our sport. Usain transcends athletics. He continues to elevate the profile of the sport and inspire athletes around the globe, proving what is possible—on and off the field of play.”
In his new ambassadorial role, Bolt will make promotional efforts for the Ultimate Championship, starting with a major appearance at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. He is expected to attend select evening sessions at Japan National Stadium and will help mark the one-year countdown to the launch of the Budapest event.
The format of the Ultimate Championship promises high-octane action in a condensed time frame, with three jam-packed sessions over three days. 26 reigning Olympic champions have already qualified, and additional athletes will earn their spots through upcoming global competitions. The focus is to ensure that the world’s top performers end the season with a definitive title.
For Bolt, whose career transformed track and field into a prime-time spectacle, this is a fitting new chapter. “I’m honored to take on the role of Ultimate Legend to help spread the word,” he said. “Athletics remains a huge part of my life. I saw our sport go through many changes during my time on the track, and it’s important that it continues to innovate. This new global championship will help to showcase and grow track and field and its incredible stars.”