1. Noémie Fox, canoe slalom, age in 2032: 35
Legendary paddler Jess Fox has already said she wants to compete at Los Angeles 2028, which makes the path for Noémie – who won gold in the kayak cross event in Paris – difficult in either of the kayak or canoe single events which limit entrants to one from each country.
But 2032 might be another story. Jess by that time will be aged 38, and the younger Fox might finally be able to step out of her sister’s shadow in the single canoe slalom events.
2. Peyton Craig, athletics, age in 2032: 27
There is much excitement in athletics circles about sprint sensations Torrie Lewis and Calab Law, who are both barely out of school. But the Paris Games saw another teenage athlete enhance his reputation.
Craig delivered two outstanding runs in the 800m, recording a personal best in the semi-finals and only narrowly missing out on the national record and a place in the final. The 19-year-old easily out-performed his countrymen Peter Bol and Joseph Deng – who both had difficult preparations – and looks set to be one of Australia’s foremost names in athletics for the coming decade.
3. Keefer Wilson, skateboarding, age in 2032: 25
Two-time gold medallist Keegan Palmer said he wants to continue to his home Games in 2032, where he will be 29, but also that he fears it will be hard to continue to stay ahead of the next generation in the booming sport of skateboarding.
Wilson, four years Palmer’s junior, also reached the park final in Paris and has been tipped for big things since he made his X-Games debut at age 11. He, or even Kieran Woolley – another Paris entrant who will be 28 for Brisbane 2032 – could be medal contenders by then.
4. Oceana Mackenzie, climbing, age in 2032: 30
At age 22, the German-born Melburnian finished a brilliant seventh in Paris in the final of the boulder/lead discipline. Sport climbing was introduced in Tokyo, but was split into two events in Paris when speed was given its own medal.
While Mackenzie’s result was sensational, her result in the boulder component was even better. She is an expert at this format, that relies on problem solving and decision making, and was only beaten in Paris by the overall gold and silver medallists. If the Australian sticks with the sport she will likely improve, and if the sport climbing program is split into three medals by Brisbane to recognise the distinct disciplines, her prospects are even better.
5. Brock Batty, trampoline, age in 2032: 25
The 17-year-old is the youngest trampolinist from any country to compete in the Olympic Games since the sport was introduced at Sydney 2000. And Batty was in contention to make the eight-athlete final before he suffered a fall in competition in Paris. The Frankston teen has won multiple age group medals and in Brisbane will be in his mid-20s, still peak age for the discipline.
6. Chloe Covell, skateboarding, age in 2032: 22
Australia’s youngest team member in Paris, Arisa Trew delivered on her promise and captured gold in the skateboarding park discipline. But in the street event Covell – who qualified fourth for the final and was tipped as a medal contender – had a difficult time. Covell has already committed to Los Angeles 2028, and the Tweed Heads teen will be just 22 by the time Brisbane 2032 rolls around.
There are even younger skaters showing Olympic promise. At the age of nine, Mia Kretzer has become the youngest X Games gold medallist last month. If the sport stays in the program for Brisbane, and potentially adds the vert discipline to park and street, it could be a major source of medals for Australia.
7. Ruby Pass, gymnastics, age in 2032: 25
The 17-year-old emerged this year as Australia’s top gymnast following Georgia Godwin’s injury, and in Paris was the youngest Australian to compete in the event at the Games for 24 years. Pass delivered, posting the third-best result by an Australian in the all-around. She qualified for the final in 14th position, and improved her scores in two of the four apparatuses to end the Games in 13th. No Australian has finished high in the past 20 years. Given Godwin’s success in her mid-20s, Pass could head into her home Olympics in 2032 as a genuine medal contender.
8. Jaclyn Barclay, swimming, age in 2032: 25
The youngest member of the Dolphins in Paris, the 17-year-old had made the most of the decision by Kaylee McKeown to skip the world championships in Qatar earlier this year, securing a silver in the 200m backstroke. There were high hopes for Barclay to continue to progress at the Olympics, but she missed the semi-finals in her event. Her PB would have been good enough for fifth in the final, and the Brisbane local is expected to be a key part of the swimming team in coming years.
Other swimmers in Paris that are likely to be in Brisbane include 18-year-old Olivia Wunsch, who won a gold as a heat swimmer in the 4x100m freestyle relay, and of course triple gold medal winner Mollie O’Callaghan, who will still be only 28 in 2032.