In pictures: Seven wunderkinds already setting sports alight

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The world of sports is no stranger to wunderkinds who emerge as prodigies and proceed to become phenoms. From Sachin Tendulkar to Lionel Messi to Serena Williams and many more, sports has witnessed a multitude of stars rise to the greatest heights after breaking through as baby-faced prospects. This Children’s Day, My Kolkata documents the journey of seven sporting sensations who have sparked interest at an early age with a rare combination of ability and ambition

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Lamine Yamal: The winner of the Kopa Trophy for the best young player in the world, Yamal, at 17, is arguably football’s most talented teenager since Lionel Messi. Bursting on the scene last year for Barcelona, Yamal has been crucial in the revival of the Blaugrana under Hansi Flick, making the right flank his own with his jinking runs and incisive decision-making. Yamal has also shone for Spain at Euro 2024, where his goal against France in the semi-final was one of the defining moments of the tournament

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Sheetal Devi: India’s leading para-archer shot to fame when she won two golds and one silver at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou. She was duly awarded an Arjuna Award for her accomplishments and made India even prouder at the 2024 Paralympic Games. In Paris, Devi claimed bronze in the mixed event, which made her the youngest Indian to win a Paralympics medal. The precision with which Devi shoots an arrow is a sight in its own right and has gone viral multiple times. Her talent and tenacity mean that going forward the 17-year-old could well become the most decorated Indian Paralympian of all-time

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Sunelita Toppo: Hailing from Odisha’s Sundargarh, Toppo’s first experience of playing hockey was with a bamboo stick at the age of eight. After an impressive youth career, where she helped India win a maiden gold at the 2023 Junior Asia Cup, Toppo’s attacking vigour saw her break into the Indian team a couple of months later. With 12 appearances for the senior team under her belt, Toppo has several notable showings and a goal to her name, with the likelihood that the 17-year-old will soon become a mainstay in national colours

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Savitha Shri Baskar: While the likes of R Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh Dommaraju may be more familiar to Indians, Baskar, 17, is not someone to be taken lightly. Having become a grandmaster at 16, she has been putting in the hours under the radar, clinching a bronze medal at the 2022 World Rapid Chess Championship. Baskar is an undoubted beneficiary of the recent growth spurt in Indian chess and has all the skills required to outsmart the best of the best in the time to come

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Hezly Rivera: An Olympic gold medal winner at just 16, Rivera was part of the “Golden Girls” team that soared to glory in Paris. Hezly represented Team USA in the qualification round of the Paris Games in the uneven bars and balance beam events. She did not take part in the finals, but earned her gold medal along with Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Sunsia Lee. With the veterans moving out of the sport, Rivera will be one of those that the US will be banking on for continued success and domination in gymnastics

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Dhinidhi Desinghu: At just 14, this Class IX student from Bengaluru’s Kendriya Vidyalaya specialises in 200m individual medley and has already represented India at the Olympics. She qualified for Paris through a universality quota, finishing 23 out of 30 in the heat, making her the youngest athlete to represent India at the Olympics. With so much potential at such a young age, Desinghu has plenty of time to try and match the likes of Ariarne Titmus in what will be a crowded field for swimming supremacy

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Korou Singh Thingujam: Since Sunil Chhetri’s retirement, Indian football has been looking for its next messiah. At 17, Thingujam could well be the one to fill Chhetri’s boots eventually. With his low centre of gravity and nimble footwork, Thingujam has stood out as a second striker for Kerala Blasters in the Indian Super League (ISL), having also featured for India’s junior sides. Sharp and alert inside the box, Thingujam should play for India’s senior outfit within the next few years, after which his progress could well take him to Europe or South America for greater goals in his club career