Track & Field Power Rankings: Kebinatshipi and Jackson Surge to the Top After Historic Brussels Final

The Diamond Trophies have been handed out and the stadium lights have gone dark on the King Baudouin Stadium track. But the 2026 season is far from over. With World Athletics' inaugural $10 million Ultimate Championship looming in Budapest this weekend, the Brussels Diamond League Final just violently reshuffled the sport's hierarchy.[1][3]

The two-day meet in Belgium on September 4 and 5 crowned 32 champions, but more importantly, it shattered records that had stood for years. Five athletes separated themselves from the pack, establishing themselves as the undisputed favorites heading into the September 11-13 showdown in Hungary.[1][3]

Number one on the board is Botswana's Busang Collen Kebinatshipi. The 22-year-old superstar is currently the most terrifying 400-meter sprinter on the planet, storming to a stunning 43.40 seconds in Brussels to break the Diamond League record for the third time this season.[6][7]

Kebinatshipi dragged Trinidad and Tobago's Jereem Richards to a national record of 43.68 in his wake. The blistering time moves the Botswanan to joint fifth on the world all-time list, making him the heaviest favorite heading into the Ultimate Championship.[6][7]

Number two is American shot putter Chase Jackson, who didn't just win her third Diamond Trophy—she completely rewrote the record books. Her third-round throw of 21.14 meters set a new American record, a Diamond League record, and the world's best mark of 2026.[1][2]

In just five days, Jackson improved her personal best by 12 centimeters, surpassing Jessica Schilder's previous world lead of 21.09 meters. "I still think I can throw farther," Jackson told reporters after the event. "You always want more."[2]

Taking the third spot is Bahrain's Birhanu Balew, who put on an absolute masterclass in distance running. Balew claimed his first Diamond League title in the men's 5000 meters with a world-leading 12:45.70.[3][4]

The time also set a new Asian record, as Balew held off Burundi's Egide Ntakarutimana, who clocked a national record of 12:46.73. With no pacemakers allowed in Budapest, Balew's ability to close out a fast, grinding race makes him uniquely dangerous.[4][5]

The fourth spot belongs to China's Feng Bin, who delivered the biggest upset of the weekend in the women's discus. She launched a season-best 67.46 meters in the fourth round to dethrone five-time defending Diamond League champion Valarie Sion.[1][4]

Sion, who threw 66.92 meters on her final attempt, had been the undisputed queen of the event. Feng's victory makes her the first Chinese athlete to win a Diamond Trophy since 2019 and completely flips the script for the upcoming Ultimate Championship.[1][4]

Rounding out the top five is Jamaican shot putter Rajindra Campbell. He unleashed an unbelievable 23.08-meter toss to become the first non-American man to eclipse the 23-meter barrier in the 21st century.[3]

The massive throw secured the Diamond Trophy, set a Jamaican national record, and established a new world lead. Campbell beat out a stacked field that included American heavyweights Jordan Geist (22.23 meters) and Joe Kovacs (22.09 meters).[3]

The stakes for Budapest could not be higher. The Ultimate Championship will feature 26 individual events, with fields strictly limited to 16 entrants for track disciplines and eight for field events.[2]

Unlike the World Championships, there are no medals on the line in Hungary—just a massive purse and the title of "Ultimate Champion." The athletes who peaked in Brussels are now perfectly positioned to cash the sport's biggest checks.[2]