Duplantis and McLaughlin-Levrone both won world titles in 2025 [Getty Images]BBCSun, November 30, 2025 at 11:07 PM UTC·2 min readArmand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have been 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, the most recent at September's World Championships in Tokyo when he became the first human to clear the 6.30m barrier.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis year, the 26-year-old was undefeated in 16 competitions, and won the world titles both indoors and outdoors, as well as a fifth consecutive Diamond League crown.
McLaughlin-Levrone also went undefeated through 2025 in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.
The American became 400m world champion in Tokyo when she ran 47.78 seconds - the second fastest time in history - to break the 42-year-old championship record.
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"For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible," said McLaughlin-Levrone, 26.
"I want to continue pushing boundaries in 2026."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDuplantis added: "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.
"I genuinely try to be the best version of myself that I can possibly be. I have a lot of joy that I hope to spread when I'm on the track. I have an immense passion and joy for what I do.
"I'm so obsessed with pole vaulting and I love pushing myself."
Duplantis and McLaughlin-Levrone also won the athlete of the year prizes for men's field and women's track respectively.
Australian Nicola Olyslagers, who won world high jump titles both indoors and outdoors, was named women's field athlete of the year, while Kenya's world 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men's track prize.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpain'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.
