I was anxious up to the very last moment concerning the selection of S. McLaughlin. (She married recently so she is from now on referred to as McLaughlin-Levrone). Had the title gone to T. Amusan I would have considered this an injustice for McLaughlin but I would have (grudgingly) accepted it. No, my real fear was that the title would to go to a certain sprinter from the Caribbean. Anyhow, all is well that ends well. McLaughlin at just 22 years of age has obtained everything: olympic gold, world champion's title and world records (her most recent one is a fantastic 50.68 s at this year's World's).
She won the U18 400 m hurdles world title in 2015, while not yet 16 years old. And the next year she created the surprise by securing a place in the US olympic team with am impressive 54.15 s at the Trials.
She continued progressing steadily and in 2019, at the World's, she pushed D. Muhammad at a new world record, 52.16 s, McLaughlin becoming herself the second best performer with 52.23 s. And the scenario repeated itself two years later in the Tokyo Olympics where McLaughlin won in a world record 51.46s, Muhammad also dipping under the ancient record in 51.58 s. These two races are certainly the best 400 m hurdles races ever run.
Armand "Mondo" Duplantis is even a few months younger than McLaughlin. And he also has already won everything: olympic gold, world champion's title and world records, the most recent being 6.21 m (which, moreover, was established outdoors something exceptional in the recent history of pole vault). Duplantis has been pole vaulting since he was three years old, and he still holds the records for ages 7 to 12. A World Athletics article is giving his progression from age 6 to today. Really impressive.
In 2018 he was nominated as rising star of the year both by European and by World Athletics and in 2020 he was voted World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year. So this is his second year's best title. He was, of course, number one in my list but I was not quite confident about his selection by World Athletics given that he had obtained the European Golden Tracks less that two months before. Well, I am reassured now.
The problem is that World Athletics has the tendency to pass over athletes that have been rewarded by European Athletics. The most blatant case of that of V. Alekna (who was my choice for this year's rising star award). He was silver medalist in this year's World's and went on to win the european title. This should have sufficed for him to secure the world rising star nomination. However after he had won the european nomination World Athletics just ignored him: he did not even make the five-person list.
Moving now to the ones who were chosen I must say that I agree 100 % with the WA choice. A. Vilagos was the one I have selected and E. Knighton was mentioned in my rising stars list. One reason I have not put him forward was that he had won the rising star title already last year and never before have we seen somebody win this twice. Well, Knighton did it, a remarkable first in this domain. (And the funny thing is that Knighton will still be eligible next year).
In the official WA photo Vilagos is looking much older than her real age, so, in order to compensate I am including a photo of her throwing the vortex while very young.
Vortex is the commercial name of the toy-missile she is holding. She excelled at this and at an age of 13 she graduated to the javelin. As I explained already, while european 2022 champion E. Tzengko (who is just two years older than Vilagos and was nominated European rising star this year) is stronger, Vilagos has a better throwing technique. So, I am keeping an eye on both of them.
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