A record 836 journalists from 121 countries voted as the Swedish pole vaulter and Spanish footballer topped the AIPS global poll.
Lausanne | By Sara Amiri, AIPS Member
Sweden’s Armand “Mondo” Duplantis and Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí have been named the AIPS Best Male and Best Female Athletes of the Year 2025 following a global vote conducted by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).
Duplantis secured the Best Male Athlete award for the second consecutive year after collecting 1,182 points in the poll, finishing well ahead of Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and France’s Ousmane Dembélé. The Swedish pole vaulter enjoyed a dominant season, breaking the world record four times and remaining unbeaten across indoor and outdoor competitions.
Bonmatí claimed the AIPS Best Female Athlete of the Year award for the first time with 824 points, after previously finishing second and third in earlier editions. The Barcelona and Spain midfielder was followed by Kenyan distance runner Beatrice Chebet and Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka.
In 2025, Duplantis became the first male pole vaulter in modern history to remain undefeated indoors and outdoors for two consecutive seasons. He set world records in Clermont-Ferrand, Stockholm, Budapest and Tokyo, where he clinched his third consecutive world title. His season also included Diamond League success and world indoor gold.
Bonmatí continued her influence at the top of women’s football, earning MVP honors in major international tournaments and helping Barcelona secure domestic success. Since her breakthrough at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, she has remained a central figure in the global game and collected major individual awards, including the Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA Women’s Player.
The AIPS Best of 2025 poll saw participation from journalists across 121 countries, marking the highest level of global engagement in the history of the awards and underlining their standing as one of international sport’s most respected recognitions.