World record-holder Kevin Mayer, world champion Niklas Kaul and 2019 world silver medallist Maicel Uibo will take part in a unique virtual triathlon at their respective training bases in Montpellier in France, Mainz in Germany, and Clermont in Florida respectively, via a live video link.

The first two editions of the Ultimate Garden Clash, held last month, featured male and then female pole vaulters competing separately but contemporaneously, with the first ending in a tie between world record holders past and present, Renaud Lavillenie of France and Mondo Duplantis of Sweden, and the second being won by Rio 2016 Olympic champion Katerina Stefanidi of Greece.

The Garden Clash project was highlighted in details of the World Athletics strategic plan released yesterday which have allowed the federation to continue to engage with its community during the coronavirus lockdown.

The project has proved hugely popular - the first Ultimate Garden Clash attracted more than 250,000 live viewers globally, with more than one million people watching the broadcast around the world within 24 hours of it taking place.

There were viewers in 90 different countries.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said he was delighted by the public response to the first two editions of the Ultimate Garden Clash and was eagerly anticipating this weekend’s contest.

"I’m excited to see what our best decathletes bring to the table because the pole vaulters really put on a show.

"I love how creative our athletes have been in coming up with new competition formats that we can stage safely and broadcast to our fans even while adhering to the many public health restrictions in place around the world.

"We are starting to see some countries taking cautious steps back into competition, while abiding by local social distancing measures, and that gives us hope that we can return to more normal meetings in August.

"But we are also mindful that different countries are at different stages of the pandemic and athletes in some countries will not be able to compete for some time.

"Events like the Ultimate Garden Clash show what can be done on a small budget with a little bit of ingenuity."

The impending virtual triathlon has been put together to test the athletes’ strength, speed and stamina.

The competition will begin with the pole vault where the athletes will attempt to clear 4.00 metres as many times as possible during a 10 minute period.

The three athletes will then move on to the shot put where the challenge is to send the 7.26kg iron ball beyond a 12-metre line as often as possible, again during a 10 minute period.

The triathlon will conclude with a shuttle run competition in which two cones are placed 20 metres apart, with the athletes collecting points for each completed back and forth shuttle over the course of five minutes.

Points scored in each event will be tallied to determine the overall winner.

The hour-long event will get underway at 5pm CEST (weather permitting) and will be broadcast live on the World Athletics YouTube channel, Twitter feed and Facebook page.

"The format will be a little demanding, because we are not used to the [endurance aspect] of it," Mayer told World Athletics.

"We are 'sprinters', endurance is harder for us.

"I don’t know how it is going to be, but I think Niklas will be good at that and we’ll have to fight against him.

"I think the three of us know that the last part will be the hardest.

"I’ve not done this particular ‘discipline’ in my life, but I know it’s going to be hard.

"With the marks at 12 metres and four metres in the shot put and pole vault, I think these are going to be easier for me."

Kaul, who at 21 last year became the youngest world champion in the decathlon, added: "It’s really good because it’s something different than just training.

"I’m really looking forward to competing with the other two guys again even if we are not in the same country."

Former decathlon world record holders Ashton Eaton of the United States and Britain’s Daley Thompson will join commentator Rob Walker to provide their insights into the combined-event challenge.

"I'm very excited to watch the upcoming combined-event version of the Ultimate Garden Clash," said Eaton, a two-time world and Olympic champion.

"The state of the world has shown me and many others how important the competition, inspiration, and fun of sport is and how much we miss the athletes.

"I'm proud of the athletes and support teams around the world for finding creative ways to compete and entertain."