Ultimate preview: women's 100m

Tina Clayton, Julien Alfred, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, Shericka Jackson and Sha'Carri Richardson in Tokyo (© Getty Images)

Semifinals: Saturday 12 Sep, 19:04Final: Saturday 12 Sep, 20:38

Contenders:Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) 🌍Julien Alfred (LCA) 🏅Tina Clayton (JAM) 💎Sha'Carri Richardson (USA)Amy Hunt (GBR)Jonielle Smith (JAM)Brianna Lyston (JAM)Zaynab Dosso (ITA)Zoe Hobbs (NZL)Patrizia van der Weken (LUX)Lavanya Williams (JAM)Tamari Davis (USA)Audrey Leduc (CAN)Jodean Williams (JAM)Sade McCreath (CAN)Cambrea Sturgis (USA)Boglárka Takács (HUN)

World lead: 10.70 Julien Alfred (LCA) and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) Zurich, 27 Aug2026 world list | world rankings

World record: 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) Indianapolis, 16 Jul 1988world all-time list | world record progression

There could hardly be a more fitting way to decide the inaugural Ultimate women's 100m champion than another showdown between Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Julien Alfred.

Jefferson-Wooden returns to Budapest as the world champion, having produced a stunning 10.61 championship record to win in Tokyo last year, where she finished 0.15 clear of Tina Clayton and Alfred.

The US sprinter has remained the world No.1 throughout 2026, winning Diamond League races in Stockholm and Eugene before beating Alfred 10.78 to 10.83 in Silesia last month.

Four days later, though, Alfred turned the tables in Zurich. The Olympic champion produced a Saint Lucian record of 10.70 and edged Jefferson-Wooden by the smallest of margins, with both women credited with the world-leading time.

Clayton adds another major threat. The Jamaican took world silver behind Jefferson-Wooden in Tokyo and arrives in Budapest as the newly crowned Diamond League champion after winning the final in Brussels in 10.93. She had earlier run a season's best of 10.85.

Sha'Carri Richardson also knows exactly what it takes to win on this track. It was here in 2023 that she stormed to the world title in 10.65, and the US champion has returned to form this year with a season's best of 10.77.

European champion Amy Hunt has enjoyed a breakthrough season of her own. The Briton won the continental 100m title in Birmingham, part of an unprecedented four-gold haul at those championships, and then finished second to Clayton at the Diamond League Final.

The depth extends well beyond the established champions. Canada's Sade McCreath has improved her national record to 10.86, while Jonielle Smith, Lavanya Williams, Cambrea Sturgis, Zoe Hobbs and Brianna Lyston have all broken 10.95 this year.

But recent evidence points back towards the three global medallists from Tokyo. Jefferson-Wooden has the world title, Alfred the Olympic crown and Clayton the Diamond Trophy. Budapest now offers the chance to settle which of them ends 2026 as the Ultimate champion.

Jon Mulkeen for World Athletics

Title key: 🏅 Olympic champion, 🌍 world champion, 💎 Diamond League champion