đŸ¥‡Â American track and field sensation Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has cemented her legacy as a global icon, earning the prestigious World Athletics Athlete of the Year award after a groundbreaking 2025 season defined by dominant performances and a successful shift in event focus.
MONACO – The world of athletics celebrated two titans of the sport on Sunday as Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis were named the 2025 World Athletics Athletes of the Year. For McLaughlin-Levrone, this latest accolade—her second time winning the overall top honor—is the crowning achievement of a year where she proved her absolute mastery over the track, confirming her status as one of the most versatile and dominant track athletes in history.
The award, announced at the annual World Athletics Awards ceremony in Monaco, follows a breathtaking season of record-breaking performances that saw the American star shift focus from her long-dominant event, the 400m hurdles, to the flat 400 meters.
đŸ’¥ The Historic 400m Dominance
McLaughlin-Levrone’s 2025 season was a case study in athletic re-invention. At the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, she delivered a performance for the ages, winning the World 400m Champion title with a blistering time of 47.78 seconds.
This incredible mark was not just a personal best; it smashed the long-standing championship record and became the second-fastest 400m of all time, proving her prowess in a discipline she only recently adopted as her main focus. Her victory secured her a historic first: becoming the first athlete, male or female, to ever win world titles in both the 400m flat and the 400m hurdles.
Not content with individual glory, the American speedster then anchored Team USA to the gold medal in the 4x400m relay, capping off a championship double that underscored her peerless form. This phenomenal year meant she also secured the Female Track Athlete of the Year prize before being named the overall winner, solidifying her multiple-award victory.
đŸ”‘ Legacy of Greatness
While the 400m hurdles world record (50.37 seconds) she set in Paris in 2024 remains one of her signature achievements, her decision to step out of her “comfort zone” and tackle the flat 400m showcased a relentless pursuit of athletic greatness.
“The culmination of the season in Tokyo was a really special moment,” McLaughlin-Levrone said upon receiving the award. “For me, 2025 was a year of stepping outside of the comfort zone and pushing the bounds of what was mentally and physically possible.”
Undefeated for two straight years in the events she competes in, McLaughlin-Levrone has built a track record that few can match. Her collection of Global Champion titles continues to grow, leaving no doubt that she is the defining talent of her generation in track and field.
This recognition at the World Athletics Awards 2025 confirms that the former hurdle queen has seamlessly transitioned into the undisputed empress of the one-lap sprint, and the track world waits eagerly to see what boundaries she will push next.