MUZALA TO RUN FOR US$150,000
Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga will race for the inaugural US$150,000 men’s 400m Ultimate Champion prize when he lines up against some of the world’s best athletes at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
The Olympic bronze medallist is among the elite field selected to compete at the championship, which runs from 11–13 September 2026.
Samukonga’s inclusion represents further recognition of his status among the leading 400m runners in the world, following his Olympic bronze-medal success.
The Zambian will face a formidable field that includes Botswana’s world and Diamond League champion Collen Kebinatshipi, Great Britain’s Olympic silver medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith, Trinidad and Tobago’s Jereem Richards and USA’s Rai Benjamin.
South Africa’s Zakithi Nene and Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori are also listed among the competitors, alongside Jacory Patterson, Khaleb McRae, Chris Bailey, Lee Eppie, Attila Molnár, Christopher Morales Williams, Jonas Phijffers, Yuki Joseph Nakajima, Muhammad Abdallah Kounta and Patrik Simon Enyingi.
With such depth in the field, Samukonga faces a demanding battle simply to secure a place in the final.
The championship brings together Olympic champions, world champions, Diamond League winners and leading athletes selected through the world rankings, placing Samukonga in another major test against the strongest competition in his event.
For the Zambian, the opportunity is also financially significant.
The winner of the men’s 400m will be crowned the inaugural Ultimate Champion and take home US$150,000, while second place earns US$75,000 and third place US$40,000.
The prize money forms part of the championship’s overall US$10 million prize fund, with every participating athlete guaranteed prize money.
For Samukonga, however, the bigger prize is the opportunity to measure himself against the very best.
His Olympic bronze medal has already established his ability to compete at the highest level.
Now, in Budapest, the Zambian has another chance to prove it.
