Melissa Jefferson-Wooden set a new record of 10.62 seconds in the 100-meter race at the Ultimate Championship, surpassing Julien Alfred and clinching victory in the tiebreaker between the current Olympic and world titleholders. Her time narrowly beat this year’s previous best, held by Adaejah Hodge of the University of Georgia, by .01 seconds and was just .01 seconds short of her personal best. Jefferson-Wooden’s triumph earned her a $150,000 prize, the highest reward for all first-place winners in Budapest this week.
Shortly after Jefferson-Wooden’s win, Kenny Bednarek caused an upset in the men’s 100-meter event by defeating Olympic champion Oblique Seville and securing his own $150,000 prize with a winning time of 9.85 seconds. Bednarek is now a favorite for another first-place finish in the upcoming 200 meters competition on Sunday.
In a related event, Jefferson-Wooden’s training partner, Sha’Carri Richardson, finished third on the same track where she previously won world championships three years ago. Jefferson-Wooden’s victory margin over the Olympic champion was .12 seconds, making it a decisive win considering her prior world championship title.
The championship showcased an exciting matchup between Jefferson-Wooden and Alfred, who were tied for the second-fastest time of the year. The event drew a full crowd in Budapest, where Jefferson-Wooden dominated the competition early on.
Another highlight was Marco Arop of Canada advancing to the men’s 800-meter final by finishing third in his heat with a time of 1:44.21. Arop, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist from Edmonton, qualified sixth overall for the final scheduled for 1:41 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Unfortunately, two other Canadian athletes, Audrey Leduc and Sade McCreath, were eliminated from their events in Budapest. The Ultimate Championship offers athletes a chance to compete for a portion of a $10-million prize pool, unlike traditional competitions where medals are awarded.
Live coverage of the Ultimate Championship is available on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem, with Day 3 coverage starting on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.