Technical Leader Maurice Wilson says Jamaica’s athletes will be ready for the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championships which starts tomorrow at the National Athletics Center in Budapest, Hungary.

A 32-member team, with 27 athletes set to contest individual events for Jamaica, was named by World Athletics on Monday, based on world rankings for the first of what is set to be an annual end-of-season all-star competition.

Wilson described the event as “a fantastic initiative”, which he said has the potential to take the sport to another level.

“There are changes to the arrangements,” he told the Jamaica Observer, where athletes’ representatives will have “a more hands-on” duty, as national federations such as the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association (JAAA) will only be responsible for naming relay coaches.

WILSON…this is something we need (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Wilson and Michael Frater have been named by the JAAA to take charge of the mixed 4x100m and 4x400m teams, with the athletes being able to have their personal coaches with them.

“Every major professional sport has annual championships,” Wilson said. “So track and field should not be an exception, and this is something we need.”

Winners of the individual events will receive a bye to the 2027 World Championships as well as US$150,000 (over $23 million) while winning relay teams will share US$80,000 (just over $12 million). Just about every participant will take home a cash prize.

There will also be a US$100,000 ($15.5 million) bonus for breaking a world record, while the champions will get a trophy rather than the traditional gold, silver, and bronze medals.

Newly crowned Diamond League 100m champions Oblique Seville and Tina Clayton have been included in Jamaica’s 32-member team that will compete at the three-day event.

Jamaica athlete Jonielle Smith (left) receives the baton from Jamaica athlete Tina Clayton in the women’s 4x100m relay heats during the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on September 20, 2025. (Photo: AFP)

In addition to Seville on the men’s side, Commonwealth Games champions Navasky Anderson, Romaine Beckford, and Demario Prince were also named.

Commonwealth Games champion Sanique Walker and women’s 4x100m relay gold medallists Jodean Williams and Lavanya Williams were also named.

Team Jamaica

Men

Navasky Anderson, Romaine Beckford, Orlando Bennett, Ackeem Blake, Bryan Levell, Tyler Mason, Demario Prince, Oblique Seville, Christopher Taylor

Women

Rushell Clayton, Tina Clayton, Lamara Distin, Brianna Lyston, Ashanti Moore, Ackera Nugent, Nickisha Pryce, Demisha Roswell, Shiann Salmon, Megan Simmonds, Ackelia Smith, Jonielle Smith, Sanique Walker, Danielle Williams, Jodean Williams, Lavanya Williams

Relays

Zandrion Barnes, Kadrion Goldson, Rohan Watson, Assinie Wilson, Shana Kaye Anderson