Reigning world hurdle champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and pole vault player Mondo Duplantis were crowned the World Athlete of the year awards yesterday.
McLaughlin-Levrone and Duplantis, winners of the Rising Stars awards four years ago, broke the world records in their respective disciplines.
McLaughlin-Levrone improved her own world 400m hurdles record by 0.78, first to 51.41 at the US Championships and then to an awe-inspiring 50.68 at the World Championships.
Duplantis won the award in 2020, beat the 2018 and 2019 winner, world marathon record holder, Eliud Kipchoge, Moroccan Soufiane El Bakkali (3,000m steeplechase), Norwegian Jakob Ingebrigtsen (5,000m) and Noah Lyles (200m) from USA.
Serbian javelin thrower Adriana Vilagos and USA sprinter Erriyon Knighton, who were named the Rising Stars Awards winners respectively.