Josh Kerr, 28, became Great Britain's first Ultimate Champion after a dominant victory in the 1500m in Budapest on Sunday. During his celebration, Kerr made a clear point about funding in athletics by obscuring the Nike sponsor's logo on his Great Britain kit with his Brooks-branded running spikes.
Kerr explained his actions to BBC Sport, stating, "I love my country and competing for them, but we don't make any money from that sadly. We don't have the pay cheques that other sports do yet. So that would be an opportunity to grow." He praised the new biennial Ultimate Championship, run by World Athletics, which focuses on big names.
Unlike the Olympics or World Championships where athletes represent their country, the Ultimate Championship is an individual event with no country medal table. Athletes in the Diamond League are free to display their own sponsors, who provide them with funding, by wearing their own kits.
Athletics competitors rely significantly on personal sponsorships and endorsements, as they do not receive a direct annual salary. The only standardised prize money for an Olympic gold in track and field, introduced in 2024, is $50,000 (£37,000).