The future of all our favourite sports rely on fresh talent coming through the ranks and to keep those global sporting stars on their toes. So, who is the next Simone Biles, Venus Williams or Frankie Dettori? We take a look into our crystal ball to predict the next generation of superstars with our guide to the brightest young athletes in sports.
Horse racing
- Hollie Doyle – there is no stopping this 23-year-old when it comes to the world of flat racing. Her bumper 2019 season – which saw her become the first female jockey to win a Champions Day at Royal Ascot – tops a remarkable rise in the racing ranks. The Sunday Times’ Sportswoman of the Year for 2020, Hollie is currently ranked the fourth best UK jockey and is already a favourite for sports bettors, with them placing wagers and using free bets.
- Finley Marsh – another young jockey tipped for the top, Finley is just 21 years old and first raced at the age of 17, scooping his first race win just six months later. An apprentice to the former Champion jockey, Richard Hughes, Finley has also served his time at the British Racing School and already has a reputation as an all-weather specialist. His record of 11 wins in just 54 rides makes this young talent definitely one to watch.
Skateboarding
- Sky Brown – at just 11 years old, Sky Brown is a sporting phenomenon, and was tipped to become Britain’s youngest summer Olympian at the 2020 Tokyo Games, before Covid forced the ultimate sporting event to be postponed. Having won Bronze at last year’s World Skateboarding Championships in Brazil, this pint-sized champion also excels at surfing and has already taken part in a Nike campaign, alongside Gold medal winning gymnast, Simone Biles.
Gymnastics
- Ellie Downie – Nottingham-born Ellie has already won four medals at the 2014 Youth Olympics and became the first woman to win an individual all-round medal for Britain in the European Championships at the age of 15. Now 21, Ellie was due to represent Team GB at the 2020 Olympics, which are now on hold. But this hasn’t dampened this talented gymnast’s rising star and she is hotly tipped to be one of the international gymnasts to watch.
Tennis
- Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff – 16-year-old Coco made the headlines at last year’s Wimbledon when she knocked out five-times champion Venus Williams in the first round. The US tennis prodigy has since gone on to repeat the experience, this time at the Australian Open earlier this year. While she has yet to win a major tournament, Coco is hotly tipped as a future Grand Slam winner and is currently ranked 47th in the world.
- Jack Draper – we finish our guide to the young stars to watch with a British talent, 18-year-old Jack Draper, who is currently the second youngest player in the top ranked players in the world. The son of former Tennis Lawn Association CEO, Roger Draper, this tall and mentally strong young man was runner up in the boys’ singles at Wimbledon 2018 and is widely considered to be the next Andy Murray. Watch this space!