Is anyone shining brighter this season than Melissa Jefferson-Wooden? The sprint queen has turned every track into her stage, blazing through the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay to claim triple gold at the World Athletics Championships. Undefeated in 20 out of 22 races this season, with records falling in her wake, she seemed untouchable. Yet, in a twist no one saw coming, Jefferson-Wooden’s name was missing from the 2025 Athlete of the Year shortlist. And just like that, the track world erupted, fans and athletes alike calling out one of the most baffling snubs in recent memory.

She was listed among elite nominees like Femke Bol, Beatrice Chebet, Faith Kipyegon, and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, all heavy contenders for the prestigious award. But in a surprising twist, only Bol and Sydney advanced as finalists, leaving out Melissa and long-distance powerhouses Kipyegon and Chebet. The snub didn’t sit well with fans given her blazing season. Despite the snub, Athlos NYC took to their X handle to upload a shot of the athlete with her three medals wrapped around her neck with a caption that read, “Receipts.”

Still, it was quite a shocking decision by World Athletics not to choose her, considering that the American sprint queen had scorched tracks across the globe, collecting accolades like souvenirs. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had the most perfect season any female sprinter could have had since Merlene Ottey in 1990.

She opened her season with a strong performance at the Grand Slam, followed by the Diamond League, dropping sub-10.7 runs with alarming consistency, including a 10.66 win in Silesia and another blazing finish in Brussels. At the U.S. Championships, the world took notice of her brilliance when she clocked 10.65 in the 100m and 21.84 in the 200m, crowning her as the undisputed national sprint leader and leaving Sha’Carri Richardson in the fray.

Upon her arrival at the World Athletics Championships, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had already clocked half of the fastest time run by any woman this year. In front of a roaring Tokyo crowd, she didn’t hold back, storming to gold in the 100m with a championship-record 10.61, then doubling down with a 21.68 in the 200m, both personal bests and world-leading marks. Days later, she started Team USA’s 4x100m relay that eventually brought in another gold.

Her three-medal haul made her the first athlete since Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce to achieve the same feat at the World Championships. The Jamaican achieved it first back at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia, back in 2013. Interestingly, even in 2013, when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce achieved the three-gold-medal haul, she still experienced several losses ahead of the championships, which has not been the case for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in 2025.

With her being snubbed despite having one of the greatest seasons in the history of women’s athletics, this has raised serious concerns within the community, which has begun to lose faith in the ranking system.

Track community erupts over World Athletics overlooking Melissa Jefferson

With Femke Bol and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone named finalists, the track world is left stunned. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden’s 2025 season was simply on another level. Looking at this, a fan wrote, “Broad daylight robbery.” Well, Bol shone in Europe with a world-leading 51.95 at Monaco and a 51.91 win in Silesia, defending her 400m hurdles crown at Worlds. Sydney crushed the USATF Championships before clocking 47.78 at the World Championships, smashing the American record and becoming the second-fastest woman ever. And yet, despite Jefferson-Wooden’s triple gold haul and record-smashing dominance, she was inexplicably left out, leaving fans outraged.

Furthermore, one of the fans came forward to add a dramatic touch to the news, “@WorldAthletics SNUBBED!!!”  In a shocking twist, not only was Melissa Jefferson-Wooden snubbed, but long-distance stars Beatrice Chebet and Faith Kipyegon were also sidelined by the governing body, despite Faith’s dominance as the World 1500m champion with a silver in the 5000m and record-breaking 1500m performance, and Beatrice’s double triumph as the World 5000m and 10,000m champion, setting a new 5000m world mark along the way.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had only lost one individual race, and that was the 200m at the Miramar Grand Slam Track. Even in 2013, when Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce won, she lost a lot of races but won the Sprint Triple at the World Championship and Diamond League Sprint Double to make up for her losses.

Moreover, another fan voiced his frustration, saying, “You so deserve to not just be nominated but to win.” One admirer tried to console the triple champion, reminding her of her undeniable achievements, “I do not understand this at all! You were amazing, Melissa, and you have the medals to show it… that’s what matters in the end!” And finally, another fan succinctly summed it up with unwavering admiration: “The true track athlete of the year!”

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden may have been snubbed this year, but redemption could be just around the corner. Meanwhile, fans now have the power to decide the ultimate Women’s and Men’s World Athlete of the Year in the final voting round from 4 to 9 November.