Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis have been honoured as the World Athletes of the Year for 2025, following a prestigious ceremony in Monaco on Sunday. The awards, presented by the international governing body for track and field, recognise a year of unparalleled dominance for both superstars.
An Unbeatable Streak and Historic Double
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's 2025 campaign was nothing short of historic. The American sprint sensation did not lose a single race all year, extending her extraordinary undefeated streak across two events to an astonishing 24 consecutive victories. Her crowning moment came at the World Championships in Tokyo in September, where she stormed to 400 metres gold.
In a thrilling final, McLaughlin-Levrone was pushed hard by rivals Marileidy Paulino and Salwa Eid Naser but held her nerve to win. Her time shattered a championship record that had stood for 42 years, registering as the second-fastest in history. This victory made her the first athlete ever to secure world titles in both the flat 400m and the 400m hurdles.
Duplantis Continues Pole Vault Domination
On the men's side, Armand Duplantis enjoyed a similarly flawless season, remaining unbeaten in all 16 of his competitions. The Swedish pole vault king repeatedly raised the bar, quite literally, setting four new world records throughout the year. In a display of meticulous precision, each new record bettered the previous mark by a single centimetre.
Upon receiving the men's World Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Year awards, Duplantis expressed his pride in representing field event athletes. He joked about his continued success, stating his hope to "keep irritating everyone who has to vote for me for years to come!".
Vowing to Push Boundaries Further
Reflecting on her monumental year, McLaughlin-Levrone described her Tokyo triumph as a "really special moment" and thanked her global support network. She framed 2025 as a year of profound personal and professional growth.
"For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible," she said. "I want to continue pushing boundaries in 2026."
With both athletes at the peak of their powers and publicly committed to raising their standards even higher, the athletics world can eagerly anticipate more breathtaking performances in the season ahead.
