UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships: All You Need to Know
- Elite sport meets blockbuster entertainment at Universal Resort Beijing
- 2025 champions Jonacyzk (POL), Webberley and Beckstrand (USA) return
- El Ashqar leads Pentathlon contingent from Egypt, Australia and Switzerland
From the mountains and lakes of Guiyang to one of the world’s most famous entertainment destinations, the Race Across China is about to embark on a spectacular second leg.
Just days after the UIPM 2026 Pentathlon World Championships concluded in Guiyang (CHN), attention turns to Beijing (CHN) and the UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships (September 2-6). It is an event set to take global championship sport into an extraordinary new environment.
The Championships will unfold at Universal CityWalk Beijing, the lively dining, shopping and entertainment district at the gateway to Universal Studios Beijing. Normally the start and finish point of a day immersed in blockbuster entertainment, CityWalk will now become the backdrop to five days of world-class Obstacle Racing, with the iconic Universal Globe providing one of the most distinctive settings to stage a sports event.
The Championships will be open to the public, bringing together dedicated spectators and thousands of resort visitors arriving and departing the Resort each day.
It marks another major step in the development of the UIPM Obstacle World Championships, which was launched in the Beijing Olympic Stadium in 2025. This year 75+ nations registered athletes for the Race Across China, while the elite field for Part II has increased significantly, bringing together a clutch of top pentathletes and leading personalities from the international Obstacle Sports community.
Athletes to watch
All of the individual champions from the inaugural 100m and 400m World Championships return to defend their titles: Katarzyna Jonaczyk of Poland, Tiana Webberley of United States and her compatriot Luke Beckstrand (pictured above).
They will face a deep international field featuring established Obstacle Racing champions and personalities from Israel, China, Japan and Philippines, as well as a strong European contingent representing nations including Denmark, France, Great Britain, Italy, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain and Sweden.
The Championships also complete the journey for a select group of elite pentathletes who have travelled directly from Guiyang to Beijing.
Among them are the man and woman who held the Pentathlon Obstacle Racing world records at the end of the Pentathlon World Cup season – Mohamed El Ashqar of Egypt and Florina Jurt of Switzerland, joined by additional athletes from Egypt (2025 medallist Farida Khalil), Switzerland (Florina’s twin sister Katharina Jurt - both pictured below) and Australia duo Oliver Clapham and Kai Klisanin.
Their presence provides a direct sporting link between Part I and Part II of the Race Across China and another demonstration of the growing crossover between Pentathlon and Obstacle Racing. Meanwhile, the professional organisation and dazzling spectacle of last season’s inaugural UIPM Obstacle World Championships has brought a wider group of Obstacle Racing specialists.
In the Women’s 100m, we will see the likes of Mila Stanzani (GBR) and Lotta Kokemohr of Germany return, with emerging threats such as May Yahalom (ISR) and Jaleesa Himka (USA). In the Men’s 100m, it will be intriguing to see how El Ashqar (EGY) matches up against athletes like Przemyslaw Janczuk (POL), Ryohei Yamamoto (JPN), Zachary Ganacias (PHI), Tommy Matthews (GBR) and twins Gal and Shir Shrim (ISR).
The intriguing Women’s 400m was won in 2025 by Webberley (USA) and the Filipinos will want to stake a stronger claim this year led by the experienced Precious Cabuya (PHI) and Melissa Campos Algret (PHI). But they will all need to watch out for athletes like Anna Sedova (RUS), Signy Karoline (NOR), a strong Polish team and the host nation led by Junling Chen (CHN), not to mention the irrepressible Khalil (EGY).
Last year Beckstrand (USA) was able to exert his supremacy across both sprint disciplines but with an expanded entry, can anyone stop him this time in the 400m? Watch out for the Israelis including Shneor Sameach (ISR), the rapidly improving Chinese as well as Prokhor Khanonin (RUS), Brandon Hulley of South Africa, Henrique Antunes of Portugal and the last man to win the FISO 400m world title – Daniel Ekstrom of Sweden.
All of the athletes mentioned above will potentially star again in the final televised race of the week, the 4x100m Relay. But there will be a different type of warrior on show in the 3km, a format considered ‘short course’ in traditional Obstacle Racing.
Look out for Ulrikke Evensen (DEN), Teska (POL) and Karoline (NOR) – and could super-fit Pentathlon world silver medallist Khalil (EGY) repeat her podium achievement (bronze) from last year? The men’s race also promises to be enthralling with the likes of Ekstrom (SWE), Loris Pintarelli (ITA) and Leon Kofoed (DEN) considered experts over the distance.
How it works
Across five days, athletes will compete over three individual distances. The explosive 100m remains the sport’s pure speed test, while the 400m returns after its successful introduction to the World Championships programme in 2025. The 3km provides a different examination of endurance, obstacle technique and race management.
The 3km will also gain unprecedented international exposure in Beijing as the event is live-streamed for the first time, bringing one of the formats most familiar to the established global short-course Obstacle Racing community to viewers around the world.
Team racing will have an enhanced presence too. The 3km Team Event returns, while a new 4x100m Relay adds another high-speed dimension to the programme.
Away from the elite competition, the World Championships will again demonstrate the broad demographic reach of Obstacle Sports. Racing stretches from the U11 category through to 40+, bringing children, teenagers, elite athletes and masters competitors together at the same global gathering.
There is also significant prize money at stake for the leading elite athletes, with rewards available across the individual 100m, 400m and 3km competitions from $1k for bronze medals to $5k for gold.
One global sports community
The Beijing showpiece comes less than a month after the completion of the integration of the international Obstacle Sports community under UIPM governance, adding another layer of significance to the second edition. The Championships will therefore bring together athletes from different traditions and competitive backgrounds at a moment when the sport is entering a new unified era.
And few venues could illustrate that sense of possibility better.
Universal Beijing Resort opened in 2021, with Universal Studios Beijing becoming the largest Universal Studios theme park in the world at the time of opening. Universal CityWalk Beijing was designed as the resort’s public-facing entertainment hub, connecting transport links and visitor arrival areas with the entrance to the theme park and culminating at the Universal Globe.
President’s welcome
UIPM President Rob Stull said: “After an unforgettable first stage in Guiyang, the Race Across China now moves to Beijing for the second stage of the UIPM World Championships. Bringing the 2nd UIPM Obstacle World Championships to the Universal Studios Resort Beijing provides an iconic setting for our multi-stage championships.
“We have a strong elite field providing the opportunity to put our sport in front of our core group of dedicated fans. But the iconic location offers first-time viewers around the world, as well as thousands of spectators passing through the resort, the opportunity to join the fun and excitement.
“With athletes from 75+ nations taking part in the Race Across China, we have defending champions returning, leading names from the Obstacle Racing scene and elite pentathletes travelling directly from Guiyang. The 2026 UIPM World Championships reflects the growing depth and reach of multisports under the governance of UIPM. We are building a World Championships with its own identity, combining elite performance, accessibility and entertainment in a way that feels very true to the future of UIPM Sports.
"On behalf of our global community I am grateful for the innovative partnership between UIPM, Beijing Capital Tourism Group (BTG), Beijing Sports Bureau and the Chinese Modern Pentathlon Association (CMPA) that has led to this unique hosting experience.
“There is always something special about staging a World Championships in an urban venue associated with imagination, spectacle and fun experiences. That is exactly the kind of environment where Obstacle Racing events can thrive, and I cannot wait to see the athletes bring it to life.”
Watch and follow
The UIPM 2026 Obstacle World Championships take place from September 2-6, with live and highlights coverage from major broadcasters around the world including TV Tokyo (Japan), Eurovision Sports (Pan Europe), Jio (India), Polsat Sports (Poland), Stan Sport (Australia), TV Start (Russia), PX Sports (LATAM), SuperSport (Pan Africa).
Livestream is also available free on UIPM YouTube and iQiyi based on the following schedule (TV start times listed in Central European Summer Time):
Thursday September 3
- 400m Finals (14:00 CEST)
Friday September 4
- 3km Finals (09:00 CEST)
Saturday September 5
- 100m Finals (14:00 CEST)
Sunday September 6
- 4x100m Relay Finals (09:00 CEST)
Got the app? Download UIPM Central via Apple or Google to track what’s happening in China.
You can also visit the UIPM website for the latest results and daily news.
Follow UIPM on your favourite social media throughout the season for more content:
Upcoming events
