Following a remarkable season in which she claimed gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay at the World Championships in Tokyo, making history as the first American woman to secure the sprint triple at a world event, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden was notably missing from the finalists for the 2025 World Track Athlete of the Year award. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed the honor of the overall Women’s World Athlete of the Year as she secured the women’s 400m world title at the Tokyo World Championships, while Femke Bol was the finalist.

This snub, described by Jefferson-Wooden herself as “a slap in the face,” ignited a firestorm of criticism and forced a reckoning within the sport’s governing body. However, in light of the growing backlash, as reported by LetsRun.com, World Athletics President Sebastian Coe stated, “It’s a democratic vote, we respect the results. But again, we want to make sure that the voting structure is optimizing our opportunities to promote and celebrate the best of their generation.”

The current system, which has drawn scrutiny for its opacity, involves a panel of experts compiling a nominee list, followed by a vote where the World Athletics Council holds 50% of the weight, the “World Athletics Family” holds 25%, and a public social media vote accounts for the final 25%. Nonetheless, the organization refrains from disclosing the voting totals, a decision that breeds skepticism and raises questions about transparency.

The controversy surrounding Jefferson-Wooden’s omission marks yet another chapter in a series of contentious decisions that have plagued the awards in recent years. In 2023, World Athletics unexpectedly divided the award into distinct categories for track, field, and out-of-stadium events, doing so without giving advance notice to the nominees. The subsequent year witnessed Julien Alfred’s controversial selection as a finalist, overshadowing Beatrice Chebet.

The case of Jefferson-Wooden, however, emerged as an important turning point. Her remarkable, unbeaten season, featuring a world-leading time of 10.61 seconds in the 100m and an impressive tally of 20 victories out of 22 races, has gone largely unnoticed. The decision elicited a response from fellow Olympic champion Noah Lyles, who described the award as “kind of a joke,” a sentiment that found considerable support among the track and field community.

Adding another perspective to the Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s award controversy

Fred Kerley engaged in a conversation with Anson Henry of Unconventional Productions, during which they explored Femke Bol’s nomination as a finalist, sharing the spotlight with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. As athletes such as Faith Kipyegon, Beatrice Chebet, and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden shine in their respective seasons, Kerley has expressed his displeasure regarding Bol’s inclusion as a finalist.

“They’re trying to compare the two [Sydney and Femke], and you can’t really compare the two. There’s nothing against Fica [Femke Bol]. There’s nothing wrong with her, but she doesn’t deserve to be on that line this year!” Kerley said.

“It’s no such thing to be on that line when you really have not done anything, really. Sydney will break a record every time she steps on the 400-meter hurdle. That’s the standard in that event right there. So you just won a gold in an event that Sydney ain’t run. And if Sydney was around that, would you be into the thing?”

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Indeed, Bol’s performance pales in comparison to that of the other nominees. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden secured three World titles. In a remarkable display of athletic prowess, Beatrice Chebet secured two gold medals at the World Athletics Championship, triumphing in both the 5000m and 10000m events, while also shattering the existing world record in the 5000m. Faith Kipyegon clinched the gold medal in the 1500m event, while securing a silver in the 5000m, finishing just behind Chebet.

For World Athletics, this controversy serves as a pivotal examination of its commitment to fairly recognizing its athletes while upholding the esteemed reputation of the award. As Coe and his council engage in discussions regarding a new formula, they will be steered by a fundamental, compelling question subtly raised by Jefferson-Wooden’s season: what more could an athlete possibly achieve?