Sweden’s pole vault phenomenon Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and U.S. hurdling superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned World Athletics’ Athletes of the Year on Sunday in Monaco.
Duplantis, 26, delivered a season for the ages – breaking four world records in 2025 and sweeping both the indoor and outdoor world titles.
He went undefeated in all 16 of his competitions, becoming the first male pole vaulter in the modern era to complete back-to-back unbeaten seasons.
Duplantis cleared 6.30 meters at the world championships in Tokyo, successfully retaining his title as he broke the world record for the 14th time in his career.
It was the third time Duplantis claimed the overall prize for the world’s top athlete. He also won it in 2020 and 2022.
McLaughlin-Levrone ran the second-fastest time ever on her way to claiming the world 400-meter title.
She smashed the championship record and nearly eclipsed a 40-year-old world record set by Marita Koch of the former East Germany.
Already a two-time Olympic 400-meter hurdles champion, McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman since 1985 to break the 48-second barrier in the 400 meters in Tokyo after fully turning her attention to the flat race. She also won the 4x400-meter relay.
Her time of 47.78 seconds trails only the 47.60 Koch ran four decades ago – a record widely viewed with suspicion because of the state-sponsored doping program of the era. Koch never failed a drug test and has always maintained she did nothing wrong.
McLaughlin-Levrone, 26, has not been beaten in either the 400 meters or 400-meter hurdles for two years. She is the first athlete to win world titles in both events.
The American previously won the overall athlete of the year award in 2022.
Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men’s track award after adding the 800-meter world title to his Olympic gold, with McLaughlin-Levrone taking the women’s track honor.
Australia’s Nicola Olyslagers joined Duplantis in being named field athlete of the year after winning high jump titles indoors and outdoors.
Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe earned the men’s out-of-stadium award following his victories at the London and Berlin marathons.
Spanish racewalker María Pérez won the women’s out-of-stadium honor as she defended her world titles in the 20-kilometer and 35-kilometer walks.
