Athletes of the year – World Athletics
- 1988 Carl Lewis (USA) / Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA)
- 1989 Roger Kingdom (USA) / Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB)
- 1990 Steve Backley (GBR) / Merlene Ottey (JAM)
- 1991 Carl Lewis (USA) / Katrin Krabbe (GER)
- 1992 Kevin Young (USA) / Heike Henkel (GER)
- 1993 Colin Jackson (GBR) / Sally Gunnell (GBR)
- 1994 Noureddine Morceli (ALG) / Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA)
- 1995 Jonathan Edwards (GBR) / Gwen Torrence (USA)
- 1996 Michael Johnson (USA) / Svetlana Masterkova (RUS)
- 1997 Wilson Kipketer (DEN) / Marion Jones (USA)
- 1998 Haile Gebrselassie (ETH) / Marion Jones (USA)
- 1999 Michael Johnson (USA) / Gabriela Szabo (ROM)
- 2000 Jan Zelezny (CZE) / Marion Jones (USA)
- 2001 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Stacy Dragila (USA)
- 2002 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Paula Radcliffe (GBR)
- 2003 Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR) / Hestrie Cloete (RSA)
- 2004 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) / Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
- 2005 Kenenisa Bekele (ETH) / Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
- 2006 Asafa Powell (JAM) / Sanya Richards (USA)
- 2007 Tyson Gay (USA) / Meseret Defar (ETH)
- 2008 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS)
- 2009 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Sanya Richards (USA)
- 2010 David Rudisha (KEN) / Blanca Vlasic (CRO)
- 2011 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Sally Pearson (AUS)
- 2012 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Allyson Felix (USA)
- 2013 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Shelly-Ann Fraser (JAM)
- 2014 Renaud Lavillenie (FRA) / Valerie Adams (NZL)
- 2015 Ashton Eaton (USA) / Genzebe Dibaba (ETH)
- 2016 Usain Bolt (JAM) / Almaz Ayana (ETH)
- 2017 Mutaz Barshim (QAT) / Nafissatou Thiam (BEL)
- 2018 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) / Caterine Ibarguen (COL)
- 2019 Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) / Dalilah Muhammad (USA)
- 2020 Mondo Duplantis (SWE) / Julimar Rojas (VEN)
- 2021 Karsten Warholm (NOR) / Elaine Thompson-Herah (JAM)
- 2022 Mondo Duplantis (SWE) / Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone (USA)
Rising stars:
- 2005 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (GBR) / –
- 2006 Margus Hunt (EST) / –
- 2007 – / Ruth Bosibori Nyangau (KEN)
- 2008 – / Pamela Jelimo (KEN)
- 2009 – –
- 2010 Till Wöschler (GER) / Angelica Bengtsson (SWE)
- 2011 Kirani James (GRN) / Christin Hussong (GER)
- 2012 Keshorn Walcott (TTO) / Anthonique Strachan (BAH)
- 2013 – / Mary Cain (USA)
- 2014 Wilhem Belocian (FRA) / Morgan Lake (GBR)
- 2015 Abdul Hakim Sani Brown (JPN) / Candace Hill (USA)
- 2016 Andre De Grasse (CAN) / Nafissatou Thiam (BEL)
- 2017 Karsten Warholm (NOR) / Yulimar Rojas (VEN)
- 2018 Armand Duplantis (SWE) / Sydney McLaughlin (USA)
- 2019 Selemon Barega (ETH) /Yaroslava Mahuchikh (UKR)
- 2020 – –
- 2021 Erriyon Knighton (USA) / Athing Mu (USA)
- 2022 Erriyon Knighton (USA) / Adriana Vilagoš (SRB)
