Road to the World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest...
With just over three weeks to go until the first edition of the brand new World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, it's time to project who with state of Washington ties is in contention for a spot in the meet.
Unlike the world championships or the Olympics, the only way to qualify for the meet is through the World Athletics world rankings (this link is for the women's pole vault; you can use the drop down menu to scroll to a particular event).
Additionally, the field is capped: in the sprints and hurdles, the field is limited to sixteen athletes in the lane races up to the 800m, twelve in the distance races, and eight in all field events.
For the Ultimate Championships, the reigning world and Olympic champions have an entry into the meet, so former Pullman resident and WSU volunteer coach Katie Moon (Paul Merca photo), last year's world champion, is automatically in the field.
The winner of the Wanda Diamond League finals on September 4-5th in Brussels will also get a spot in the Ultimate Championships.
The three remaining regular season Diamond League meets in Lausanne, Silesia, and Zürich will have a big sway in who gets in to the Ultimate Championships, as in addition to competition points based on the marks achieved in the meets, there are bonus points based on finish place that are available.
For those who can't get into the Diamond League meets, bonus points are also available in the World Athletics Continental Tour meets.
Between now and September 1st (with the exception of the Diamond League finals), the World Athletics Continental Tour meets are in Santo Domingo (DOM), Bhubaneshwar (IND) and Aosta (ITA) on the 22nd; Göteborg (SWE) on the 23rd & 24th; Szczecin (POL) on the 26th; and Bellizona (SUI), Brescia (ITA), Berlin (GER), and Olsztyn (POL) on the 30th.
Aside from Moon, here's who's in the running for a spot in the Ultimate Championships (scroll using the drop down menu to find event you're interested in looking):
MEN:
Brandon Miller (800m): Currently ranked fifth in the Road to Ultimate standings. He's entered in Friday's Diamond League meet in Lausanne, and more importantly, has a five meet win streak going into Lausanne after running essentially a solo effort over 600 meters at the Stumptown Twilight meet in Portland.
He appears to be safely into the Ultimate Championships with a field of sixteen if he holds form. There is a men's 800 in Zürich, but it's a non-Diamond League scoring event, so there won't be as many bonus points up for grabs in that meet.
A top three finish in Lausanne would go a long way towards clinching a spot in the Diamond League finals in Brussels.
Sam Prakel (1500): Prakel is currently ranked 12th in the 1500 with a five-race average score of 1266 points, with his top three scores coming in Hengelo on June 21st (1299), Turku on June 3rd (1283), and Zagreb on June 26th (1267).
As of now, Prakel did not get a spot in the field for the Silesia Diamond League meet, while training partner and Washington alum Nathan Green has a place in Silesia.
There is a 1500 in Zürich, but it may be a case where he'll have to wait and see if he gets invited; otherwise, Prakel may have to race in one of the Continental Tour meets.
Nathan Green (1500): Green, the reigning US indoor and outdoor champion, is ranked 22nd in the 1500 with a five-race average of 1250 points, with his top three scores coming in London (1316), Zagreb (1310), and Ostrava (1308).
As he's in the field for Sunday's Diamond League meet in Silesia, an average performance should throw out his fifth best score of 1068 points set in the heats of the 1500 at the USA outdoor championships.
If Green can hold form in Silesia, get a spot in Zürich and the Diamond League finals in Brussels, he'd put himself in a prime position for an invitation to the Ultimate Championships.
Josh Kerr (1500): The new world record holder in the mile is currently ranked 73rd in the Road to Ultimate standings with a five race average of 1184 points.
His five race average is dragged down by his finish in the finals at last year's world championships in Tokyo where he limped across the line in 4:11.23, as well as the fact that he hasn't raced a 1500 in 2026.
Kerr isn't entered in Silesia, but probably could get a spot in Zürich if his representatives pushed for it and the price is right. After all, he's the world record holder in the mile, and having a world record holder in your meet helps put butts in the seats, especially in a meet like Zürich.
If Kerr can't or decides not to run in Zürich, it's possible that he can get a wild card entry into the Diamond League finals in Brussels, which is given at the sole discretion of the meet organizers. If he does get a wild care entry and wins in Brussels, that automatically gives him a spot on the line at the Ultimate Championships.
Kerr can also get into the Ultimate Championships thanks to a provision in its Qualification System: Conditions and Criteria, which states, "World Athletics has the right to provide an entry to an athlete who for whatever reason has not qualified for the Championship. This athlete would be within the above defined Target Numbers. Such exceptional invitation is limited to one per event and, unless notified otherwise, the deadline to allocate them is Monday 17 August."
CJ Allen (400 Hurdles): Allen is currently ranked 14th in the Road to Ultimate rankings with 1271 points, based on his win at last year's NACAC Championships, where he scored 1340 points after running 48.22 and racking up 120 bonus points for winning a continental championship.
The Washington State alum is not in the field for the Silesia meet on Sunday, and based on 2026 results, probably won't get into the Zürich meet (the last two regular season Diamond League meets which have the men's 400 hurdles). Allen will have to get a meet to boost his five-meet score at one of the Continental Tour meets, or hope that his score holds up.
In a direct message, Allen said he does not have any meets lined up, so he will have to keep training and watch the rankings.
WOMEN
Gianna Woodruff (400 Hurdles): Woodruff is currently ranked 5th with a five-meet average score of 1333 points with her top two scores coming from the finals and semifinals of last year's world championships.
She's currently ranked third in the Wanda Diamond League standings in the 400 hurdles with 19 points, so barring any miscues, the Washington alum should be in the Diamond League finals in Brussels as well as the Ultimate Championships in Budapest.
Woodruff is entered in Friday's Diamond League meet in Lausanne, and the 400 hurdles is on the program for the final regular season Diamond League meet in Zürich.
Hana Moll (Pole Vault): Hana is currently ranked eleventh in the Road to Ultimate standings with a five-meet average score of 1263 points, with her top score a 1321 point total in finishing in a tie for sixth at the world championships in Tokyo with her sister Amanda.
Hana is entered in Friday's Lausanne Diamond League meet, and in the Zürich Diamond League meet, which will be contested separately from the main meet at the Zürich train station.
Sister Amanda, who is ranked tenth in the Road to Ultimate standings, ended her season with a second place finish last month in the Herculis Diamond League meet in Monaco.
Should Hana get one of the eight spots in the field for the Ultimate Championships, she will have to decide whether to accept or decline the invitation, due to the length of her season at the University of Washington.
August 21: Lausanne, Switzerland
August 23: Silesia, Poland
August 27: Zürich, Switzerland
September 4-5: Brussels, Belgium (DIAMOND LEAGUE FINALS)
NOTE: All photos by Paul Merca.
World Athletics and the Wanda Diamond League contributed to this report.
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