Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
At the World Athletics Ultimate Championship Budapest 26, a new media initiative, The Day Before, replaced the traditional athlete press conference. This event brought together around 200 athletes and 220 accredited media and broadcasters at the Gyula Zsivotzky National Athletics Centre. The program featured a red carpet, athlete interviews, content capture, a Kids’ Athletics Ultimate Challenge, and introduced the first-ever 200m lane draft for semi-final selections, emphasizing a more athlete-centric approach to media engagement.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe highlighted the event’s goal of showcasing top athletic performances, stating that athletes enter the sport to determine who is the best. Gábor Pósfai, Hungary’s Minister of the Interior, emphasized the format's potential to engage young audiences and foster innovative models by breaking down barriers. Multiple world and Olympic champion Usain Bolt expressed enthusiasm for the new direction, describing the championship as more exciting and focused on highlighting elite athletes.
2008 Olympic 100m hurdles champion Dawn Harper-Nelson, serving as infield host, praised the Championship’s collaborative approach with athletes in shaping innovations like the 200m lane draft. The draft allowed sprinters, in order of their world rankings, to choose their semi-final heat and lane, an unprecedented method in such competitions. Harper-Nelson aimed to bring drama and excitement to the event, highlighting the potential for world records and the high energy of the sport.