Duplantis & McLaughlin-Levrone named world athletes of year

Key facts

• Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned world athletes of the year at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco.
• Sweden's Duplantis set four new pole vault world records in 2025, becoming the first human to clear the 6.30m barrier at the World Championships in Tokyo.
• Duplantis was undefeated in 16 competitions in 2025, winning world titles both indoors and outdoors, and a fifth consecutive Diamond League crown.
• McLaughlin-Levrone went undefeated through 2025 in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.
• McLaughlin-Levrone became 400m world champion in Tokyo, running 47.78 seconds, which was the second fastest time in history and broke the 42-year-old championship record.
• Duplantis won the athlete of the year prize for men's field.
• McLaughlin-Levrone won the athlete of the year prize for women's track.
• Australian Nicola Olyslagers, who won world high jump titles both indoors and outdoors, was named women's field athlete of the year.
• Kenya's world 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men's track prize.
• Spain's Maria Perez, who won world titles in both the 20km race walk and the 35km race walk, and London Marathon and Berlin Marathon winner Sabastian Sawe won the out of stadium awards.