The United States athlete Melissa Jefferson-Wooden produced another stunning performance to set a new World Athletics Ultimate Championship history. After recording a new world-leading to win the women’s 100m event, she also won the women’s 200m event with another world-leading record in the 2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship, as she became the first female and second athlete, after native Kenny Bednarek, to claim double titles in the competition.
The women’s 200m was the final race of the inaugural World Athletics Ultimate Championship, which Budapest (Hungary) hosted successfully. Melissa brought another unforgettable performance in the final, as she completed the race in 21.47 seconds to set a new world-leading record as well as her personal-best finish.
All top three finishers were Americans, as Gabby Thomas (21.77) and Kayla White (21.93) claimed the next two places, while the fourth-placed Amy Hunt from Great Britain, who finished eighth or last in the women’s 100m Final, secured her season-best finish (22.10) in the women’s 200m event.
2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship: Women’s 200m – Champion
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (United States): 21.47
2026 World Athletics Ultimate Championship: Women’s 200m – Final Status
Rank | Athlete (Nation) | Time | Notes |
1 | Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (United States) | 21.47 | WL, PB |
2 | Gabby Thomas (United States) | 21.77 | |
3 | Kayla White (United States) | 21.93 | |
4 | Amy Hunt (Great Britain) | 22.10 | SB |
5 | Ashanti Moore (Jamaica) | 22.34 | |
6 | Cambrea Sturgis (United States) | 22.46 | |
7 | Anavia Battle (United States) | 22.54 | |
8 | Fabienne Hoenke (Switzerland) | 22.74 |
*WL = World Leading (best mark worldwide within a season); PB = Personal Best for an athlete; SB = Season Best for an athlete
Who is Melissa Jefferson-Wooden?
Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the United States athlete, became the first female to record the double titles in the history of the World Athletics Ultimate Championship. While she won the women’s 100m last Saturday, she claimed the women’s 200m title too on Sunday. In the 2025 World Athletics Championships, she recorded her first women’s 200m gold medal in the history of that competition.