 "From D Gukesh to 'next Usain Bolt' Gout Gout, top 10 sportspersons to watch out for in 2025")
Another year has gone by in the blink of an eye and we are ready to welcome 2025, the New Year, with open arms. The year 2024 had several athletes dominate the big stage as far as sporing competitions were concerned. The Paris Olympics, the Paris Paralympics, the 2024 European Championships and the T20 World Cup were some of the biggest competitions where several athletes got the chance to shine. And not to forget, the resurgence of chess in India this year, with the likes of new world champion D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi stealing the limelight.
As we embark on what promises to be another exciting year for sports, let’s take a look at top 10 sportspersons to watch out for:
D Gukesh
D Gukesh, India’s newest world chess champion, might be on a break currently after winning the World Chess Championship in Singapore , but the teenager has a busy schedule ahead of him in 2025. Gukesh has said that he’s yet to reach the top level of chess despite winning the World Championship, and the Chennai youngster will have several opportunities to dominate 2025.
Tata Steel Chess and Norway Chess 2025 are some of the tournaments that Gukesh will play next year. Gukesh will lock horns against Magnus Carlsen in the Norway chess tournament in what should be a spectacular affair.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsVaibhav Suryavanshi
We could see a 13-year-old make his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2025. Vaibhav Suryavanshi was acquired by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.10 crore at the IPL 2024 auction, and while he may not fit into the playing XI straightaway, he will become the youngest-ever to play in the IPL should he make his debut. Vaibhav had become the youngest-ever player to make his Ranji Trophy debut, when he played for Bihar in January 2024 against Mumbai. In September, Vaibhav scored a 58-ball century for India Under-19 against Australia Under-19 in a Test match.
Sumit Antil
The Indian contingent enjoyed a historic Paralympics campaign in Paris this year with a record medal haul, and para-athletes will get the chance to shine at the World Para Athletics Championships, which will be held in New Delhi late next year. Javelin thrower Sumit Antil, two-time Paralympic gold medallist, will get the chance to add a third World Championship gold.
Neeraj Chopra
Another javelin thrower in this list, Neeraj Chopra will hope to script a successful recovery from his injury-prone 2024 and bounce back in 2025. Chopra finished with a silver medal in Paris Olympics and he has already set the 2025 Tokyo World Championships as his next target later next year. But most importantly, Neeraj will be hoping to get back to his absolute best.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
Nitish Kumar Reddy has proved himself in the IPL, in T20I cricket and Test cricket this year. There may not be a T20 World Cup next year, but there sure is a significant amount of Test cricket, including India’s tour of England in the summer. Bigger things await the 21-year-old in 2025.
Liam Lawson
New Zealand’s Liam Lawson will replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull in next year’s Formula 1 season. Perez parted ways with Red Bull after a disappointing season, which paved the way for Lawson to team up with reigning champion Max Verstappen next year. Lawon, who began his F1 journey with the Red Bull Junior team in 2019, made his Formula 1 debut in 2023, when he replaced Daniel Ricciardo at Scuderia AlphaTauri.
Mirra Andreeva
She is just 17 years old and Mirra Andreeva has shown promise in her tennis career so far. She reached the semi-finals of the French Open, won the Iasi Open title in Romania for her first WTA Tour title and won silver medal in Paris Olympics in women’s doubles. Expect more things from Andreeva as she looks to take on the biggest stars like Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
Oliver Bearman
Oliver Bearman will team up with Esteban Ocon at Haas in the 2025 Formula 1 season. While he may not be a top contender for the title yet, the British driver could very well show promising signs next season. Bearman had replaced Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian GP earlier this year where he finished in seventh place.
Gout Gout
Australian sprinter Gout Gout is slowly becoming a household name in athletics. Regarded by many as the next Usain Bolt, Gout Gout broke multiple records in 2024, including in the 200m under-16 race at the Australian School Athletics Championships. With a timing of 20.04 seconds, Gout Gout beat Usain Bolt’s youth record timing of 20.13 seconds in 2003.
Sembo Almayew
The Ethiopian athlete impressed at the Paris Olympics despite not winning a medal. She finished fifth in the women’s 300m steeplechase event, but won gold at the U20 world Athletics Championships in Lima. That victory led her to winning the 2024 World Athletics Rising Star awards.
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