Baku: Swedish pole vaulter Armand 'Mondo' Duplantis has been named the AIPS Best Male Athlete for the second year running after amassing an unassailable lead in the traditional end-of-year poll, organized by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).

According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, the AIPS Best Female Athlete of the Year 2025 award went to Spanish footballer Aitana Bonmat­ for the first time, as voted by a record 836 journalists from 121 countries.

Following another exceptional season in which he broke the world record four times, Duplantis was the runaway winner in the Best Male Athlete of the Year category with 1182 points. Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz received 784 points to finish in second place, while French footballer Ousmane Dembele finished third with 713 points.

Bonmati garnered 824 points to dominate the Best Female Athlete of the Year 2025 award for the first time, after finishing third and second in the 2023 and 2024 editions, respectively. She was followed by Kenyan distance runner Beatrice Chebet with 453 points and Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka with 446 points.