Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone have been crowned World Athletes of the Year, with the pair claiming World Championship golds and enjoying unbeaten campaigns. Duplantis broke his own world record four times and won a fifth successive Diamond League title. McLaughlin-Levrone, meanwhile, ran the second-fastest 400m of all time en route to her gold medal in Tokyo.
Armand Duplantis has said he hopes he can “keep irritating everyone who has to vote” for him after he and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were named World Athletes of the Year on Sunday.
The Swedish pole vaulter won the award for the third time in his career after another dominant season, having previously claimed the prize in 2020 and 2022.
The 26-year-old retained his World Championship title in Tokyo, broke his own world record four times, went undefeated in 16 competitions and won a fifth successive Diamond League title.
“I hope to keep pushing it. I hope to keep irritating everyone who has to vote for me for years to come,” Duplantis said.
“I’m proud to represent everyone who supports me – my family and my future wife. It’s really important for me to win this for the field eventers. I’m going to really cherish this one.
“I’m so obsessed with pole vaulting, and I love pushing myself. I hope that I can inspire the next generation to try athletics, and even pole vaulting. If I can inspire even just a few people to do it, then I feel I’m doing my job.”
Duplantis became the third male athlete to win the award a third time, with Usain Bolt doing so six times between 2008 and 2016, while Hicham El Guerrouj claimed the prize on successive occasions from 2001 to 2003.
McLaughlin-Levrone was named the women’s Athlete of the Year after winning 400m gold at the World Championships with the second-fastest time in history.
The victory saw the American become the first athlete to have ever won world titles in both the 400m flat and 400m hurdles, having claimed gold in the latter in 2022.