Duplantis wins inaugural Ultimate Championship title in Budapest

Armand Duplantis won the men's pole vault title on the opening night of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, securing $150,000 before falling short in his attempt at another world record. BBC Sport reported that the Swedish star had already sealed victory when he tried unsuccessfully to clear 6.32 metres in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 20,000.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSsA4J3jSlc

The contest with Greece's Emmanouil Karalis concluded the first session of a competition spread across three days. Duplantis, a two-time Olympic champion, was seeking the 16th world record of his career. The 26-year-old also wrote and recorded the championship's official song, which played in the stadium during the evening. He told the BBC he had approached the event feeling both nervous and excited.

Eight finals took place during Friday's three-hour programme, with Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Masai Russell among the winners. The championship offers a total prize fund of $10 million. Its presentation included a black infield, illuminated competition areas and television graphics showing win probabilities and projected finishing positions. Winners collected their trophies beside the competition area before moving to an enclosure in the stands.

The United States won the mixed 4x100m relay in 39.64 seconds, becoming the first team to lift a trophy at the meeting. The American quartet shared $80,000. Jamaica finished second, while Britain's Romell Glave, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Jeremiah Azu and Success Eduan took third in 40.26. In the women's long jump, Britain's Jazmin Sawyers finished second with a best effort of 6.78 metres.

Ingebrigtsen won the men's 5,000m in 12:59.24, accelerating away on the home straight to finish ahead of American Olympic 1500m champion Cole Hocker. According to BBC Sport, the Norwegian's victory came a month after he returned from a long-term injury to win the European 5,000m title. He is also due to race Britain's Josh Kerr in Sunday's 1500m.

Elsewhere, Keely Hodgkinson qualified fastest for the women's 800m final, winning her semi-final in 1:57.57. Audrey Werro and Femke Broeders-Bol also advanced. Matthew Hudson-Smith reached the men's 400m final after finishing second in his heat in 44.79 seconds, behind Jacory Patterson. Botswana's world champion Collen Kebinatshipi recorded the quickest overall qualifying time, 44.23 seconds.