Diamonds are formed - Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Nominees
The difference between the good and the great often comes down to an ability to handle the pressure in the big moments. In 2024, the six Nominees for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award proved they were ready to accept the challenge.
The success of an athlete is defined not behind closed doors, but when the spotlight is at its most intense; when the noise of the crowd is drowned out by the pounding of their own heart. But that’s the thing about pressure. Apply just enough of it, and diamonds are formed. And in the case of our six Nominees for the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award, 2024 was the year in which they would truly sparkle.
Take teen football sensation Lamine Yamal, who reminded us why we love the beautiful game. The Spaniard has been destined for greatness ever since making his professional debut for Barcelona aged just 15. Yet few could have predicted just how quickly the winger would establish himself as one of the world’s top talents, playing an integral role in Spain’s swashbuckling journey to European Championship glory, and becoming the youngest player to play and score at the Championships along the way.
Yamal wasn’t the only teenager to make waves in 2024. At just 17, swimmer Summer McIntosh took Paris by storm, becoming the first Canadian woman to win multiple individual gold medals at a Summer Olympics. Not bad for a debut Games – little wonder Time magazine labelled it the ‘Summer of Summer’.
As it turned out, she was just getting started, adding five more medals – including three golds – to her collection at the World Championships in Budapest. Crowned Swimmer of the Year by World Aquatics, McIntosh is not only living up to expectations but surpassing them altogether.
Yamal wasn’t the only teenager to make waves in 2024. At just 17, swimmer Summer McIntosh took Paris by storm, becoming the first Canadian woman to win multiple individual gold medals at a Summer Olympics. Not bad for a debut Games – little wonder Time magazine labelled it the ‘Summer of Summer’.
As it turned out, she was just getting started, adding five more medals – including three golds – to her collection at the World Championships in Budapest. Crowned Swimmer of the Year by World Aquatics, McIntosh is not only living up to expectations but surpassing them altogether.
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
From the pool to the track, Paris delivered a Games to remember and in the city of love, spectators at the Stade de France fell head over heels for our next Nominee, Julien Alfred.
The 23-year-old came into the Olympics knowing that if she was to realise her ambition of being crowned 100m champion, she’d have to overcome the formidable challenge of former Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award Nominee Sha’Carri Richardson. And her moment came on a rain-soaked night in the French capital, as she secured a first-ever Olympic gold medal for her nation, prompting the St Lucian government to declare September 27 as ‘Julien Alfred Day’.
After Alfred stunned one much-fancied American on the track, Letsile Tebogo repeated the trick, taking the men’s 200m title. Among those unable to keep up with the Botswanan star was Noah Lyles – a heavy favourite to complete the sprint double having already stormed to 100m victory. Tebogo clearly didn’t read the script, taking just 19.45 seconds to etch his name into the history books, and in the process, clinch a first Olympic gold medal for Botswana.
Upon his return home to a packed national stadium, the whole of Botswana was granted a half-day holiday, and his sensational year would be capped in style by Tebogo being named Athlete of the Year by World Athletics.
The 23-year-old came into the Olympics knowing that if she was to realise her ambition of being crowned 100m champion, she’d have to overcome the formidable challenge of former Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year Award Nominee Sha’Carri Richardson. And her moment came on a rain-soaked night in the French capital, as she secured a first-ever Olympic gold medal for her nation, prompting the St Lucian government to declare September 27 as ‘Julien Alfred Day’.
After Alfred stunned one much-fancied American on the track, Letsile Tebogo repeated the trick, taking the men’s 200m title. Among those unable to keep up with the Botswanan star was Noah Lyles – a heavy favourite to complete the sprint double having already stormed to 100m victory. Tebogo clearly didn’t read the script, taking just 19.45 seconds to etch his name into the history books, and in the process, clinch a first Olympic gold medal for Botswana.
Upon his return home to a packed national stadium, the whole of Botswana was granted a half-day holiday, and his sensational year would be capped in style by Tebogo being named Athlete of the Year by World Athletics.
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
.png?format=auto&width=320)
Standing at over 2.2m tall, and with the wingspan to match, Victor Wembanyama is hard to miss. Yet in 2024, it was his talent attracting the world’s attention.
Having previously drawn comparisons to five-time Laureus Nominee LeBron James, the Frenchman’s stock was already sky-high before being selected first overall in the NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs in 2023. In his debut campaign, the imposing centre became the first rookie to be named in the All-Defensive First Team while also collecting the coveted NBA Rookie of the Year title.
After 120 years of despair and frustration for fans of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 2024 was the year they saw their side become champions of Germany for the first time. And if that wasn’t reason enough for long-suffering supporters to hit the Bierhalles, the title was won without losing a single game – the first time that feat had been achieved in German football history. As Leverkusen showed, good things come to those who wait.
And as all our Nominees can testify, if you time it just right, and handle the pressure, it’s never too late to shine.
Having previously drawn comparisons to five-time Laureus Nominee LeBron James, the Frenchman’s stock was already sky-high before being selected first overall in the NBA draft by the San Antonio Spurs in 2023. In his debut campaign, the imposing centre became the first rookie to be named in the All-Defensive First Team while also collecting the coveted NBA Rookie of the Year title.
After 120 years of despair and frustration for fans of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, 2024 was the year they saw their side become champions of Germany for the first time. And if that wasn’t reason enough for long-suffering supporters to hit the Bierhalles, the title was won without losing a single game – the first time that feat had been achieved in German football history. As Leverkusen showed, good things come to those who wait.
And as all our Nominees can testify, if you time it just right, and handle the pressure, it’s never too late to shine.
