Duplantis, McLaughlin-Levrone named World Athletes of the Year

Sweden’s pole vault sensation Mondo Duplantis and American 400 metres World champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were named World Athletes of the Year on Sunday.

Duplantis, who retained his gold medal at the World Championships in Tokyo in September, continued his dominance by breaking his own world record four more times and remaining undefeated in 16 competitions. The 26-year-old also secured his fifth consecutive Diamond League title.

“I hope to keep pushing it. I hope to keep irritating everyone who has to vote for me for years to come,” Duplantis said. “It’s really important for me to win this for the field eventers. It’s very special, I’m going to really cherish this one.”

McLaughlin-Levrone, also undefeated for two years, excelled in both the 400m flat and 400m hurdles. Her winning time of 47.78 seconds in Tokyo was the second-fastest 400m of all time. She became the first athlete to win world titles in both the 400m flat and 400m hurdles, while also contributing to the U.S. 4x400m gold medal-winning relay team at the World Championships.

“Wow, I’m honestly blown away to win this. Thank you so much, World Athletics, for this honour and recognition,” McLaughlin-Levrone said. “The culmination of the season in Tokyo was a really special moment. For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible.” -Reuters

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