Young stars to take sports by storm in 2015

It’s been another bumper year for the world of sports and the next 12 months look likely to be just as eventful.

As we have just entered 2015, We’ve rated and slated the most exciting young players who are worth keeping an eye out for. Here are the stars of the future: 

 

FOOTBALL

Julian Draxler (Germany)

Draxler became the Bundesliga’s fourth youngest debutant in 2011, and has since built a towering reputation at club and international level, drawing scouts from across Europe, and sending his valuation soaring towards £40m.

The gifted, versatile attacking midfielder is currently out of action until March with a tendon injury, meaning that a long‑expected January move to either Arsenal or Chelsea has been put on hold until the summer. 

CRICKET

Kuldeep Yadav (India)

This left-arm unorthodox spin bowler (or chinaman) was always going to bring something interesting to the India U19 team. 

His performances at this year’s tournament have not disappointed: 13 wickets including 4-10 against Papua New Guinea and 4-28 against Scotland – the latter featuring a hat-trick.

GOLF

Brooks Koepka (USA)

The 24-year-old US college standout won his first top-tier tournament late in the year at the Turkish Airlines Open which hoisted him to eighth in the Race to Dubai and earned him the European Tour Rookie of the year award.

A big-hitter with plenty of deft touch around the greens, Koepka left his Florida base on turing pro in 2012 and his travels in Europe and Asia are reaping dividends. He tied for fourth at the US Open, which earned him his PGA Tour card for the 2014–15 season and his first Masters invitation. He then placed 15th at the PGA Championship before his strong showing in Turkey.

TENNIS

Borna Coric (Croatia)

Only turned 18 in November, Coric finished the year at 96 in world having been at 303 at the end of 2013. He is the youngest player ranked in the top 100 after a season which saw him beat Rafael Nadal en route to the Swiss Indoors semi-finals in Basel in October.

Coric also reached Umag Open quarter-finals in July and made his Grand Slam championship debut as a qualifier at the US Open where he went on to reach the second round.

 

BASKETBALL

Andrew Wiggins (Canada)

Kobe Bryant says he looks at Andrew Wiggins and sees a “reflection of himself”. The Minnesota Timberwolves gave up a lot (Kevin Love) to trade for first overall pick Wiggins who has shown incredible athleticism and scoring prowess in his rookie NBA season.

The 19-year-old Canadian was named NBA rookie of the month for October and November. Wiggins earned the Western Conference nod after averaging 11.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game.

ATHLETICS 

Dina Asher-Smith (England)

Dina Asher-Smith, 19, is part of the new wave of British sprinting talent to have emerged in recent  years but she has only just started chipping away at the senior ranks. 

She was a relative unknown when named as the youngest member of the British team in Moscow for the World Championships in 2013, but she went on to play a part in the 4x100m relay team that won a shock bronze after France’s disqualification.

BOXING

Kid Galahad  (England)

Kid Galahad is unbeaten in 18 fights, trained by Brendan Ingle, the current European super-bantamweight champion, and next year he will get a big night in the ring somewhere. 

Galahad, 24, also has two perfect and unbeaten domestic rivals in Bury’s Scott Quigg, who holds a portion of the WBA title, and Belfast’s IBF champion Carl Frampton. The Quigg-Frampton- Galahad triangle could be the boxing tale of 2015, or the latest in a bad line of must-see fights to collapse in petty acrimony.

RUGBY UNION

Teddy Thomas (France)

The 21-year-old Racing-Metro wing made a stunning international debut against Fiji in November, becoming only the second Frenchman to score a hat-trick of tries on his first appearance for Les Bleus.

The powerful, speedy back then went on to score a dazzling individual try as France beat Australia 29-26, socks rolled down around his ankles. But Thomas was then unceremoniously dropped for the third Test against Argentina after missing a training session. Rugby fans can only hope it was a minor indiscretion.

FORMULA ONE

Max Verstappen (Belgium)

At 17 years and three days, Max Verstappen – son of former Benetton and Stewart F1 racer Jos – became the youngest driver to take part in an official grand-prix session.  The Dutch prodigy has barely put a wheel wrong.

He ended up 12th fastest, just 0.443sec behind highly-rated team-mate Daniil Kvyat who, the following day, was announced as Daniel Ricciardo’s partner at Red Bull for 2015. 

SWIMMING

Siobhan-Marie O’Connor (England)

The youngest swimmer in the British team at London 2012 has made rapid progress over the past two years.

O’Connor, 19, competes in freestyle, butterfly, breaststroke and medley races from 50 metres to 200m and won six medals at the Commonwealth Games. She will be looking to make a big splash at the World Championships in Kazan in 2015.

(With inputs from AFP)