These athletes and global celebrities who emerged during the Youth Olympic Games

Julien Alfred (athletics)

Remember the dramatic finish in the 100m at the 2024 Olympics, where the athlete from Saint Lucia defied the odds by surpassing top finalists, including American Sha’Carri Richardson? Before that, Julian Alfred won a silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. Six years later, she claimed gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m.

Wang Chuqin (table tennis)

He is the nightmare of the Lebrun brothers. Wang Chuqin has defeated older brother Alexis twice and younger brother Félix ten times, never losing to this talented duo. This Chinese table tennis player, currently ranked number one in the world, had already shone at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires with two gold medals. Six years later, despite a singles elimination in the Round of 16 in Paris, he won gold in mixed doubles and finished the year as the world number one in his discipline.

Chad le Clos (swimming)

The insatiable South African swimmer had already made waves by winning five medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze) at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. But it was in 2012 in London that he would make history by triumphing over the legend Michael Phelps in the final of the 200m butterfly. In 2016, in Rio, he added two silver medals to his collection.

Jessica Fox (canoe-kayak)

Did her gold medal in Singapore in 2010, at just 16 years old, foreshadow the success that would follow? Originally from Marseille and raised by parents who practiced kayaking in Australia, Jess Fox won her first medal (silver) at the London 2012 Olympics. After a disappointing Olympics in 2016 (bronze), she claimed gold in Tokyo (2021) before achieving a double gold in canoe and kayak in Paris 2024.

Emma McKeon (swimming)

She is among the 40 most decorated athletes in Olympic history. The Australian swimmer had already excelled with six medals, including one gold, at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. She confirmed her talent at her first Olympics in Rio in 2016 with four medals, before exploding her tally in Tokyo in 2021 with seven medals, including four golds. She announced her retirement at 30 after the Paris 2024 Olympics, finishing her career with three final medals.

Noah Lyles (athletics)

The American sprinter is already a well-known figure, and it was at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing that he made his debut in the world of speed. He won the 200m race. At his first Olympics, he secured a bronze medal in the 200m despite being one of the favorites. It was ultimately in Paris, in 2024, that he validated his status by winning gold in the 100m and bronze in the 200m.

Panipak Wongpattanakit (taekwondo)

The first Thai Olympic champion in taekwondo, Panipak Wongpattanakit first emerged at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. Her first Olympic gold medal at 17 marked the beginning of a collection for senior Olympics. After a bronze medal in Rio, she claimed gold in Tokyo and repeated the feat in Paris in 2024.

Ulugbek Rashitov (taekwondo)

He represents two of the gold medals among the ten won by Uzbekistan in Olympic history. A gold medalist at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, he delivered an exceptional performance at the Tokyo Olympics at 19 years old. After advancing through a preliminary qualification round, he won gold after eliminating South Korean legend Lee Dae-hoon. Three years later, he repeated the feat by winning gold again in Paris.

Sara Samir (weightlifting)

She is one of the greatest athletes in Egypt's history. An outstanding weightlifter, Sara Samir made history by becoming the first Egyptian (and the first Arab woman) to stand on an Olympic podium with a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics (69 kg). But before that, there was China, where she won gold at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. She then secured another medal (silver) in Paris in 2024, further cementing her name in the legend.

Iga Swiatek (tennis)

The best tennis player in Poland's history, Iga Swiatek has built an impressive record with six Grand Slam titles (and counting). In 2018, the year of the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, she won the junior title at Wimbledon in July, before claiming gold at the Youth Olympic Games. After a disappointment in 2021 in Japan, she managed to secure a bronze medal in 2024 in Paris.