Four sporting prodigies who scaled the heights
Kimi Antonelli, the newly crowned Formula One champion at 20, joins an illustrious group of sporting talents who dominated their sports at the same age.
Pele, the legendary Brazilian footballer, captured the world's attention at just 17 years old when he joined the King of Football title. Known as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele dazzled during the 1958 World Cup, scoring six goals in four matches. His final goal in the 1958 final, where he scored a hat-trick, earned him praise from Swedish player Sigge Parling, who called him "The Iron Stove."
Going on to win the World Cup a total of three times, Pele's extraordinary talent continued to soar throughout his career. Steffi Graf, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Grand Slam in 1988 at the tender age of 19. Graf dominated the tennis world with her unparalleled performances, including crushing Chris Evert at the Australian Open and overcoming Natasha Zvereva in the French Open final with a brutal showing.
She completed the Grand Slam by defeating Gabriela Sabatini at Wimbledon, joining a select group of players who have accomplished this feat, which also includes Don Budge, Maureen Connolly, Rod Laver, and Margaret Court. Mikaela Shiffrin, an exceptional American alpine skier, began her professional career at 15, racing in the World Cup.
By 2013, Shiffrin had already claimed the championship in the slalom and the overall World Cup title, becoming the youngest slalom Olympic champion at the age of 18 in Sochi. Shiffrin's impressive record includes three Olympic gold medals, eight World Championship titles, and six overall World Cup victories, making her one of the most successful female athletes in history.
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who made his Test debut at 15, shattered records as he progressed through his career. By 1993, at the age of 20, Tendulkar had scored an astonishing 640 runs in nine Test innings, including five fifties and two centuries. His outstanding performance earned him the top ranking in the world for the first time in 1994.
Tendulkar retired from cricket in 2013, leaving behind a legacy as one of the greatest all-time run-scorers in international cricket.
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