The winner was announced by the International Association of Athletics Federations on Monday.
The youngest of his running brothers Ingebrigtsen took WC gold in the 5000 meters at Eugene and silver in the 1500 meters both indoors and outdoors this season. In addition, he became European champion at both distances.
He had the fastest time of the year in the 1500 meters with 3.29.02. He set it up during the Diamond League final in Zurich.
However, the great season didn’t last long enough to secure the prestigious world player of the year award. It won the Mondo Duplantis, just like he did in 2020.
Three world records
Huddlers Soufiane El Bakkali of Morocco, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge (marathon) and American sprinter Noah Lyles joined Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Duplantis in the final heat to become the men’s athlete of the year.
Duplantis broke his own world record three times this season, where he ended up WC and EC gold. First he jumped 6.19, before the world record was later increased to 6.20 and 6.21 respectively.
– This year was the best I’ve ever had. The goal before the season was to try to break the world record a few more times, but also to win both outdoor and indoor WC, titles I missed out on. To win both and take the world record – I can’t complain, said Duplantis.
Last year, Karsten Warholm won the men’s athlete of the year award following the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo. There he broke the world record in the 400 meter hurdles.
McLaughlin-Levrone won
American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone received the award for the best female athlete of the year in the world. She set the world record in the 400 meter hurdles twice and also won two gold medals during the WC at Eugene this summer.
– All my goals have come true this year. We can achieve everything we set out to do. It couldn’t be better, says McLaughlin-Levrone.
Serbian javelin thrower Adriana Vilagos was named female “coming star” of the year during Monday’s awards ceremony. In the same category for men, American sprinter Erriyon Knighton won.
The 18-year-old Knighton, who won bronze in the 200 meters at the World Championships in Eugene, is the first athlete in history to win the award twice. He also won the award last year.
