Miltos Tentoglou wins inaugural Ultimate Championship long jump with 8.35m
Greek long jumper Miltos Tentoglou secured first place at the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest on 12 September 2026, recording a leap of 8.35 meters to claim the 150,000-dollar top prize.
Elimination rounds in Budapest
The men's long jump at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship took place in Budapest on 12 September 2026, following the competition's opening day. Greek jumper Miltos Tentoglou opened the contest with a mark of 8.16 meters to take the lead after the first round. He extended his advantage during the second attempt, taking advantage of calm conditions on the runway to record 8.35 meters. Under the event's elimination rules, only the top six jumpers after two attempts earned a third jump. Tentoglou advanced in first position, joined by Bozhidar Saraboyukov at 8.09 meters, Simon Ehammer at 8.07 meters, Anvar Anvarov at 7.94 meters, Tajay Gayle at 7.72 meters, and Gerson Balde at 7.70 meters.
Decisive fourth jumps and standings
Tentoglou recorded 8.27 meters on his third attempt, stepping back from the takeoff board on the approach. That distance kept him atop the leaderboard and qualified him for the final round, which was restricted to the top four competitors. In the fourth and final round, Tentoglou committed a foul, leaving his winning distance at 8.35 meters. Bulgaria's Bozhidar Saraboyukov reached 8.34 meters on his final attempt, finishing one centimeter behind the Greek athlete. Both Ehammer and Anvarov fouled on their fourth attempts, confirming third place for Ehammer at 8.07 meters and fourth for Anvarov at 7.94 meters. Tajay Gayle took fifth place with 7.90 meters, followed by Gerson Balde at 7.85 meters, Mingkun Zhang at 7.76 meters, and Luka Boskovic at 7.66 meters.
- Miltos Tentoglou
- 8.35 m
- Bozhidar Saraboyukov
- 8.34 m
- Simon Ehammer
- 8.07 m
- Anvar Anvarov
- 7.94 m
- Tajay Gayle
- 7.9 m
- Gerson Balde
- 7.85 m
- Mingkun Zhang
- 7.76 m
- Luka Boskovic
- 7.66 m
Financial rewards and prize structure
The victory earned Tentoglou a first-place prize of 150,000 dollars, concluding his season following a loss at the Diamond League final in Brussels. The Ultimate Championship features a total prize fund of 10 million dollars across all events. Individual winners receive 150,000 dollars, runners-up earn 75,000 dollars, and third-place finishers collect 40,000 dollars. In relay disciplines, the winning squad divides 80,000 dollars. Tentoglou's Greek teammate Emmanouil Karalis took second place in the men's pole vault on 11 September 2026, receiving 75,000 dollars. The payout scale builds on the initiative from Paris 2024, where World Athletics awarded 50,000 dollars to Olympic gold medalists from a 2.4 million dollar pool.
- First place
- 150000 $
- Second place
- 75000 $
- Third place
- 40000 $
Palmares and international record
The Budapest title adds to Tentoglou's tournament record under coach Giorgos Pomaski. The 28-year-old athlete won Olympic gold medals in Tokyo in 2021 with 8.41 meters and in Paris in 2024 with 8.48 meters. He collected outdoor World Championship gold in Budapest in 2023 with 8.52 meters, alongside a silver medal in Oregon in 2022 with 8.32 meters. His indoor record includes world titles in Belgrade in 2022 with 8.55 meters and Glasgow in 2024 with 8.22 meters. In European competition, he won outdoor championships in Berlin in 2018, Munich in 2022, Rome in 2024, and Birmingham in 2026, alongside three European indoor titles and a 2023 European Games gold. Across Olympic, world, and continental championships, he has collected 14 medals, including 13 golds.
