Duplantis, Rojas named World Athletes of the Year

Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis was named male athlete of the year and Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas won female athlete of the year at World Athletics' annual award ceremony on Saturday.

Duplantis, a world silver medalist in Doha last year, set a world record by clearing 6.17 meters in Torun, Poland in February and then bettered that by one centimeter in Glasgow the same month.

He also produced the highest-ever outdoor pole vault jump when he cleared 6.15 meters to win gold at the Rome Diamond League meeting in September. The 21-year-old won all 16 of his meetings this year to register a perfect season.

Armand Duplantis of Sweden poses after setting a new world record in the pole vault during the IAAF Diamond League 40th golden gala in Rome, Italy, September 17, 2020. /VCG

"It was a really strange season, for me and everybody, but I was able to put it together and get some pretty good results," said Duplantis, who is the youngest athlete to win the award.

"I just wanted to go out there and show the world what I was capable of and put my name out there with some big performances. I was able to do that and had some good heights, especially during the indoor season."

Meanwhile, Rojas also hit form in the shortened season, breaking the South American indoor triple jump record in her first competition of the year, reaching 15.03 meters in Metz, France.

Venezula's Yulimar Rojas competes in the women's triple jump event during the Diamond League Athletics Meeting in Monaco, August 14, 2020. /VCG

She went on to leap 15.43 meters at the World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting in Madrid to break the world indoor record by seven centimeters.

"This victory means a lot to me and to all of those who work with me every day, everyone who gives me strength and motivation every day," said Rojas.

Kenya's sub-two-hour marathon man Eliud Kipchoge and American 400m hurdles world record holder Dalilah Muhammad were the 2019 winners.

(With input from agencies)