Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The men’s high jump final at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest will feature several leading athletes, including JuVaughn Harrison of the United States, who currently holds the world lead for 2026 with a jump of 2.34m achieved in Monaco.
Mateusz Kołodziejski of Poland earned his place in the final by winning the Diamond League Final in Brussels with a clearance of 2.28m, edging out Harrison. Kołodziejski's win was seen as a late-season surprise.
Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy, the 2023 world champion, has returned to competition after injuries limited his participation since his last title. He recently won the European Championships and received a special invitation to the Ultimate Championship.
Ukrainian athlete Oleh Doroshchuk, world indoor champion, is also a contender; he won the World Indoor Championships in March and has a season best just one centimetre below Harrison’s world lead. He placed third at the Diamond League Final with Tamberi and previously won the Monaco Diamond League event with a 2.32m jump.
Notably, the field will be without Hamish Kerr, the Olympic and world champion, who has not competed since March, and Woo Sanghyeok, who has faced injuries this season, including plantar fascia damage that led to a long break from competition.