Top 10 US Athletes of 2025 (5-1)

In 2025, several American track and field athletes demonstrated their dominance, earning medals, breaking records and cementing their legacies as some of the best in the sport. From the World Championships to back-to-back wins on the Diamond League circuit, these athletes proved their mettle, and every moment in the spotlight was a testament to their talent and hard work.

Here’s our list from 5-1.

5. Ryan Kruser (shooting)

Ryan KruserThe 2025 season was unlike any other year in his career. There were no monitoring matches, no diamond league appearances, and no long meetings. He arrived at the world championships in Tokyo unbeaten all season, qualifying only because he was defending his 2023 world title from Budapest.

The situation behind the scenes was far from comfortable. Cruiser spent most of the year with a serious elbow injury related to a trapped nerve. An MRI, contrast fluid and limited exercise followed. His preparation was disrupted and there were doubts as to whether he could even compete at full strength.

On opening day in Tokyo, he wasted no time getting into the ring. On his fifth throw, Kruser hit a 22.34m mark, a mark that no one could match. The distance was modest by his standards, but it was enough to secure his third consecutive world title.

In a season built on uncertainty, Kruser proved that experience, time and nerves still win championships.

4. Kenny Bednarek (100m, 200m)

“Kenny Bednarek”The 2025 season was the year that the distance between him and the highest level was noticeably reduced. Since the spring, his racing had a new calm. In her Grand Slam Track Series debut, Bednarek was dominant, sweeping both the 100 and 200 meters in Kingston, Miami and Philadelphia. World-leading runs followed, including a 9.86 in Philadelphia and a 19.84 in Miami, the result of a mindset built around sharper execution and staying calm.

That form peaked at the US Championships in Eugene. Bednarek won his first national title in the 100 m in 9.79 seconds, a personal best that ranked him among the fastest Americans ever. In the 200m he renewed his rivalry with Noah Lyles, finishing second after a tight race that highlighted how narrow the margins had become.

At the World Championships, Bednarek finished fourth in the 100m final after a strong semi-final, then lost silver to Lyles in the 200. The body of work places him at No. 4 among the top American men of 2025, built on consistency, speed, and steady pressure on the sport’s benchmark.

3. Cordell Tinch (110m hurdles)

Cordell TinchThe 2025 season began with a sense of surprise and quickly turned into one of the defining stories of the year. After taking a few years off the sport to regroup, Tinch returned with little fanfare or anticipation. In April, it was impossible to ignore him.

Earlier in the year, at the Diamond League opener in Xiamen, he announced himself by winning the 110mH in 13.06 seconds, beating a field that included established stars. Weeks later in Shanghai, he went further, running 12.87s, the fastest time in the world that season and one of the fastest times ever recorded in a year. The momentum followed him all summer.

At the US Championships, Tinch finished second to Ja’Koby Tharpe, a result that secured his spot on the world team. He stayed sharp, winning the Diamond League final in Zurich in 12.92 seconds to claim his first trophy on the circuit.

The season reached its climax in Tokyo. From line seven, Tinch powered home in 12.99 minutes to take the world title. From off the track to the top of the podium, he ranks 3rd in our 2025 rankings.

2. Noah Lyles (100m, 200m)

Noah LylesThe 2025 season was shaped by recovery, faith and time. The year did not start cleanly. Injuries interrupted his build-up and consistency took time. However, over the summer, Lyles began to look like himself again, trusting the work rather than forcing results.

At the US Championship in Eugene, he had one of the defining races of the year. In the 200m, he followed unbeaten Kenny Bednarek down the stretch, winning in 19.63 and reminding everyone how dangerous his closing speed remains. That form carried over to the Diamond League final in Zurich, where Lyles edged out Letsile Tebogo by 0.02 seconds to win his sixth Diamond League title, a victory based on patience and racing.

Tokyo brought both tests and shut down. Lyles earned bronze in the 100 meters, running a season-best 9.89 after a tough meet. Days later, he returned to the same path with sharper focus. He won the 200m final in 19.52 minutes, equaling Usain Bolt’s record of four consecutive world titles.

The season brings Lyles to the No. 2 spot in our 2025 rankings, determined by his confidence in his ability when it mattered most.

1. Ray Benjamin (400m hurdles)

Ray BenjaminThe 2025 season was built on patience before it was crowned by history. Early signs of form came at the Diamond League circuit, where he won Paris in a record 46.93, holding off fast finisher Abderrahman Samba. A few weeks later at the Prefontaine Classic, Benjamin was second by six-hundredths of a second to Alison dos Santos, a narrow loss that confirmed just how sharp the world field has become.

By August, Benjamin was in complete control. At the US Championships, he dominated the 400m hurdles in 46.89, securing his spot on the Tokyo team and re-establishing himself as the top American in the event. The defining moment of the season followed on the sport’s biggest stage.

At the World Championships in Tokyo, Benjamin finally got the gold that had eluded him. Running from the seventh line, he passed Karsten Warholm at the halfway point, took a clear lead with 300 meters to go and crossed the line in 46.52. Even a trip at the last hurdle couldn’t stop him.

The win ends his season and earns Benjamin the No. 1 spot on America’s Top Male Athletes of 2025.