Mondo Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have been crowned the 2025 World Athletes of the Year, recognising their extraordinary dominance throughout the season. The announcement celebrates two of the sport’s most consistent and record-breaking performers.
Duplantis enjoyed a flawless year, remaining unbeaten across all his competitions. He broke the pole vault world record multiple times, eventually clearing an unprecedented 6.30 metres at the World Championships. His performances earned him his third World Athlete of the Year award, placing him among the greatest field athletes in history. Duplantis said he was proud to represent field events and highlighted the importance of raising their global profile.
McLaughlin-Levrone produced one of the most remarkable seasons ever seen in women’s athletics. She won the world title in the 400 metres with a stunning 47.78 seconds, the second-fastest time in history. She also made history by capturing world titles in both the 400m flat and the 400m hurdles, becoming the first woman to achieve this double. She remained undefeated in both events for the second consecutive year and also anchored the United States to gold in the 4x400m relay.
Their victories underline two contrasting but equally dominant paths to the top of world athletics. Duplantis continues to redefine the limits of pole vaulting, while McLaughlin-Levrone’s versatility and speed are reshaping the standards of sprinting. As the athletics world looks ahead to 2026, both champions are expected to remain at the forefront of global competition.
