In the American sports landscape of 2025, there were stories of victory that went beyond the vast stadiums of the NFL, the arenas of the NBA, and the ballparks of MLB. If you look below the surface, some of the most significant athletic achievements of the year occurred through the relentless quest for a perfect lap, an outstanding slalom turn, or a final stride towards a historic finish line.

Amid the headline-grabbing stories from mainstream leagues, the year 2025 stood out for the remarkable achievements of American athletes in more niche sports. So let’s explore these who these athletes are and what they achieved.

Yared Nuguse’s indoor mile record

On a February evening within the confines of New York City’s Armory, Yared Nuguse approached the starting line for the Wanamaker Mile, a race he had previously claimed victory in on two occasions. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation of a record, despite the late exit of competitor Josh Kerr owing to illness. Nuguse, undeterred, delivered a performance marked by sheer determination.

He took the lead and, as he said, was resolute in his commitment to “grind no matter what anyone else did.” For four laps, he held his ground, aware that “if I let up anywhere, they were going to pass me.”

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Upon crossing the finish line in 3:46.63, he not only secured his third consecutive Wanamaker title but also broke the world indoor mile record, a feat that had remained unchallenged for six years, previously held by Yomif Kejelcha since 2019.

His triumph, occurring merely an hour after his compatriot Grant Fisher shattered the 3,000m world record on the same track, marked a new chapter of American supremacy in middle-distance running. For Nuguse, the Olympic 1,500m bronze medalist, this moment marked the pinnacle of a growing self-assurance.

“I have more confidence from the Olympics, more confidence in my training. I’m not afraid of the front any more. I knew that if I let up anywhere, they were going to pass me, so I was like ‘don’t let up, not even for a second’, and just hoped that I had more than they did at the end,” he said.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s triple gold in Tokyo

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden made her entrance at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with an ambition so bold that she had inscribed it in a dedicated book during a weekend retreat with her husband. “Whatever you want to accomplish and achieve, put it in this book,” he had told her. She achieved a remarkable feat, securing gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, and the 4×100-meter relay.

One by one, she checked them off, marking her place in history as the first American woman to accomplish this impressive feat at a World Championships. Following her triumphant victory in the 100m with a time of 10.61, she took a moment to reflect on her journey, which included the touching act of donating bone marrow to save her father’s life years prior.

“If I have an opportunity to help someone, do it,” she said. “That’s what life is about. If you’re in positions where you can help someone along the way – that means much more to me that anything that I decide to do on the track.”

Just five days later, she clinched victory in the 200m with a time of 21.68 seconds, and on the final day, she played a pivotal role in securing a third gold medal by anchoring the relay. Her father’s reaction? “I felt blessed, because I was there to witness it. In 2018, I had a bone marrow transplant and she was my donor. That allowed me to be alive to witness the whole thing,” he said.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s perfect transition to flat race territory

In Tokyo, yet another American champion was venturing confidently into uncharted territory. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the reigning Olympic champion of the 400-meter hurdles and a six-time world record holder, has set her sights on a new challenge for 2025: the 400m flat. Despite skepticism surrounding the decision, she remained steadfast in her belief in the rigorous training program crafted by her coach, Bobby Kersee.

In a rain-soaked finale, she engaged in a momentous clash with Mariledy Paulino of the Dominican Republic. In a display of endurance and speed, McLaughlin-Levrone surged down the homestretch, clinching victory with a time of 47.78 seconds, marking the second-fastest performance ever recorded.

“I knew there were a lot of people doubting me with making the switch from 400m hurdles to the flat 400m,” McLaughlin-Levrone admitted afterwards. “But ultimately, I had faith in my training. I knew I had it in me.”

Her coach said, “I felt that somebody was going to have to run 47-something to win this. She trained for it. She took on the challenge, took on the risk. She’s just an amazing athlete that I can have no complaints about.”

The triumph, which shattered a 42-year-old championship record, has now placed the sport’s longest-standing women’s world record—Marita Koch’s 47.60 from 1985—firmly within her reach.

Mikaela Shiffrin achieved that long-awaited century

On a sun-drenched slope in Sestriere, Italy, Mikaela Shiffrin encountered a distinct form of pressure. The most celebrated alpine skier in history was making her comeback following a traumatic crash in November, which resulted in a seven-centimeter abdominal injury. The pursuit of her 100th World Cup victory, hindered by an unfortunate injury, has captivated the public’s imagination.

“I felt today so much had to go right for me and wrong for others,” she would later reflect. What followed was not an act of dominance, but rather a testament to her own resilience. She executed a precise, forceful descent down the mountain to secure victory, collapsing in tears of relief as she crossed the finish line.

The figure of 100 transcended mere numbers; it stood as a tribute to a career marked by unwavering excellence, which commenced when she was a prodigious talent at the age of 16. “Thank you everybody’s been so nice and supportive. Teammates, competitors and fans. I’m so grateful,” an emotional Shiffrin expressed.

Also, in a splendid act of kindness, she shifted the focus of attention, collaborating with the Share Winter Foundation to raise $100,000 aimed at providing underprivileged children with access to snowsports.

Lindsey Vonn’s successful comeback to the winner’s circle

Finally, in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a chapter everyone thought was closed was rewritten with stunning force. At the age of 41, Lindsey Vonn found herself without a World Cup victory for nearly eight years. There she was, right from the start gate, skiing with the fierce, turn-generating prowess that has marked her as the dominant figure in women’s skiing history. She finished an impressive 0.98 seconds ahead of Magdalena Egger, who took second place.

Vonn surged forward with such speed that she was unable to halt, joyfully crashing into the finish area banners. The triumph established her as the oldest winner, regardless of gender, in the records of World Cup history.

“I just called my dad, he was crying so hard, I’ve never heard him so emotional in my whole life, it made me cry too,” said Vonn afterwards. “The win means so much to me. I knew in the summer I was on the right path, and all the hard work has paid off.” For Vonn, a competitor who has consistently excelled in the face of skepticism, this moment represented the pinnacle of validation.

Together, these five moments serve as a reminder that although America’s most beloved sports deliver weekly spectacles, there are significant moments in other sports too where athletes showcase no less dedication than the ones in the NFL, NBA, or MLB.