World Athletics har introducerat Ultimate Fan Challenge, en global tävling för att utse sportens mest hängivna supporter inför Ultimate Championship 2026 i Budapest. Initiativet inkluderar quiz på friidrottskunskaper och kreativa bidrag, där vinnarna får en VIP-resa som omfattar ett möte med Usain Bolt. Anmälan är nu öppen på BeTheUltimateFan.com.
World Athletics meddelade lanseringen av World Athletics Ultimate Fan Challenge den 9 mars 2026, med syfte att engagera fans världen över inför World Athletics Ultimate Championship som är planerat till 11–13 september 2026 i Budapest. The challenge consists of two phases. The first, the Quiz Challenge, tests participants' knowledge of athletics through trivia. Registration is open, with the initial quiz starting on March 9 and subsequent quizzes released every two weeks until June 4. Each quiz includes 10 questions, and participants earn points on a live global leaderboard. Additional points are available by referring friends and family. The phase ends on June 4, naming the highest-ranked male and female winners. The second phase, titled 'How I Live Athletics,' runs from June 20 to July 23 and encourages creative expression. Fans submit original content such as videos, photos, illustrations, or graphics demonstrating how athletics integrates into their daily lives. Entries must align with one of five themes: training, cheering, community, culture, or heritage. World Athletics selects one finalist per category, followed by public voting in August to determine the overall winner. Three finalists—the two quiz winners and the creativity winner—will receive travel, accommodation, tickets, and a VIP experience at the Budapest event, including a meeting with athletics legend Usain Bolt. The competition culminates in a live in-stadium finale during the championship to crown 'The Ultimate Fan.' The Ultimate Championship itself will feature Olympic champions, world champions, and Diamond League Final winners competing in a condensed format to determine discipline victors. This fan initiative extends the event's competitive spirit to supporters globally.