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World champion American hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis were named the World Athletes of the Year on Monday. The two 23-year-old world champions won the titles at the World Athletics Awards 2022.
The world record-breaking athletes were the final winners announced at the coveted event. McLaughlin-Levrone bagged the title after she broke the world women’s 400m hurdles record twice in 2022. Meanwhile, pole vaulter Duplantis set three new world highs over the years, making him a clear favorite among men.
While it was McLaughlin-Levrone’s first, US-born Swede Duplantis claimed the award for the second time in three years.
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wins World Athlete of the Year award
It is pertinent to note that both Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone and Mondo Duplantis won the Rising Stars award at the World Athletics Awards 2018. The athletes had broken the-then set world records in their respective disciplines. Following this, the two went on to break the set record with stellar performances at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
The American hurdler improved her own world 400m hurdles record by 0.78. She finished the race at 50.68 at the World Championships, which secured her a debut individual senior world title. Following this, she went on to become the anchor of the US team, which won the 4x400m.
The 23-year-old made a statement at the start of 2022 finishing her first 400m hurdles race of the year at 51.61 in Nashville. This was the third-fastest time ever recorded in the event. However, she further bettered it as she stormed to victory in 51.41 in the 400m hurdles at the US Championships at Hayward Field.
Speaking to the media about the win, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone had said:
“I think there’s a little bit more in the tank there… Hopefully when it’s time we can just empty it completely.”
After setting a new record at the Hayward Field a month later, McLaughlin-Levrone said:
"All of my goals were accomplished this year. We were able to accomplish everything we set out to do. It couldn’t have been any better, and I was so grateful that I was able to produce that performance in front of a home crowd."
Mondo Duplantis named World Athlete of the Year
Mondo Duplantis also rose to become the most dominant performer in his discipline this year. The US-born Swedish pole vaulter set three world records in 2022. He has won two global titles, clinched victories in 18 of his 19 competitions, and vaulted six meters or higher 23 times, making him the best in the world.
The 23-year-old also set a record as he made more six-meter clearances than any other pole vaulter in history. The athlete’s record-breaking 2022 campaign started off with an undefeated indoor season. He set a world record of 6.19m in Belgrade, only to strike gold with 6.20m at the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Serbia two weeks later.
He went on to win at the Wanda Diamond League circuit. Duplantis made the highest-ever outdoor vault in history with a 6.16m vault in Stockholm.
The Swede then went on to win at the World Championships in Oregon. He soared over to a world record of 6.21m with room to spare, making him a favorite for the athlete of the year award. He also retained his European title with a championship record of 6.06m and finished off his season by winning the Wanda Diamond League Final in Zurich.
Speaking about his stellar year, Mondo Duplantis said:
"Going into the year, I had really high expectations of myself and I had some really big goals. I wanted to win the world indoors, the world outdoors, the Europeans, the Diamond League final, and I wanted to break the world record a few times.”
He added:
"I was able to do that and it was a bonus, the cherry on top, to do be able to do it (break the world record) at the right times, to do it at world indoors and do it at world outdoors. I can’t complain."
It is pertinent to note that Serbian javelin thrower Adriana Vilagos and US sprinter Erriyon Knighton were named the Rising Stars at the World Athletics Awards 2022.
