MONACO - Swedish pole vault star Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis and US track sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were named athletes of the year by World Athletics in Monaco on Sunday.
Duplantis set four pole vault records in 2025 as he won world titles both indoors and outdoors.
He was unbeaten in 16 competitions and became the first men's pole vaulter in modern history to go undefeated for two successive years.
Duplantis cleared 6.30 metres at the world championships in Tokyo after successfully retaining his title as he broke the world record for the 14th time in his career.
It is the third time that Duplantis has scooped the overall prize for the world's top athlete. He also won it in 2020 and 2022.
McLaughlin-Levrone ran the second fastest time ever on her way to claiming the world 400m title.
She smashed the championship record and nearly eclipsed a 40-year-old world record set by Marita Koch of the former East Germany.
Already a double Olympic 400m hurdles champion, McLaughlin-Levrone became the first woman since 1985 to break the 48-second barrier in the 400m in Tokyo after fully turning her attention to the flat race. She also won the 4x400m.