Our next 50 rookie sport stars from 12 sports eyeing Games glory

Here’s 50 crack sporting rookies from 12 sports short listed as potentially Queensland’s next Olympic and Commonwealth Games representatives.

Mayne Harriers sprint sensation Calab Law is a rare world junior bronze medallist. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

Queensland athletes have performed superbly on the international stage yet again, staring at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games which finished this week.

The likes of Liz Dekkers, Sam Short (swimming) and Cassiel Rousseau (diving) went from notoriety in their sport, to be national sporting heroes, just 12 months after the likes of Mollie O’Callaghan, Meg Harris, Ashley Moloney, Tom Neill, Caitlin Cronin, did the same.

Here are the names of another 50 athletics from 12 sports anointed as serious contenders to represent at either the Commonwealth or Olympic Games this decade.

Ipswich’s Jude Thomas, an St Edmund’s College old boy, has a big motor.

The list excludes youngsters, like runner Ky Robinson, schoolgirl Ella Ramsay, or water polo’s Tenealle Fasala and Marcus Berehulak, who have already represented Australia.

ATHLETICS

CALEB LAW

Coached by Andrew Iselin out of Mayne Harriers, the Morayfield SHS alumni is a sprint talent out of the box with explosive power mid race the likes of which is rarely seen in a junior.

Morayfield’s Calab Law training at Windsor Park with Mayne Harriers. PICTURE: Brad Fleet

He claimed a bronze medal at the world junior championships in the 200m in a withering 20.48 seconds (his PB is 20.42), the first male track Australian to medal since 2012 (Steve Solomon, 400m). do so since An Australian has not medalled in the 200m at the word juniors since 1986. Law also has a 100m PB of 10.36 in his kit bag. Watch for his senior international debut as early as next year’s Paris Olympics.

PEYTON CRAIG

Coached by Brendan Mallyon at the Uni of Sunshine Coast Athletic Club, Craig is a middle distance sensation whose blistering 3:44.07 minutes in March set tongues wagging, and a few weeks later burst over the 3000m field in a PB time of 8:12.63 minutes. He is fresh from representing Australia at the recent world junior championships.

St Peters Lutheran College student Torrie Lewis at UQ St Lucia, Monday, February 7, 2022 – Picture: Richard Walker

TORRIE LEWIS

The Gerrard Keating-coached year 12 student from St Peters Lutheran College is Queensland’s best 100m female sprint prospect since Sally Pearson and is running under 20 times not seen since the great Raylene Boyle in the 1970s and early 1980s. She runs the 100m in 11.33secs and is also a white hot 200m exponent. She missed the world juniors through injury.

JUDE THOMAS

Thomas may be little known to the general Queensland sporting public, but within Athletics Queensland he is known as one of Australia’s most exciting 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and 10,000m prospects.

Tori West is coached by Eric Brown. Picture: Evan Morgan

From Peter Reeves’ co-ordinated Nanci running group, the St Edmund’s College old boy has as big a motor going around.

TORI WEST (and Liam Gilbert)

Both Townsville originals, the pair have found a home at UQ Sport where they are mentored by world renowned multi events coach Eric Brown – the man who took Ashley Moloney (2022 Olympic bronze) and Cedric Dubler (2018 Commonwealth Games bronze).

Both are at slightly different stages in their development.

West, 26, (heptathlon), is the only non-rookie on this list but qualifies because she has still not represented Australian at either Games’.

World renowned multi events coach Eric Brown has Tori West and Liam Gilbert under his watch. Picture: Richard Walker

West has been circling the Australian team for several seasons but injury has curtailed her. If she gets an injury free run at it, watch for her at any of the Games between 2024-26.

Liam Gilbert (Decathlete). Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Gilbert (decathlon), a teenager, is a bustling young bull on the decathlon stage who is bursting with ability. Under Brown, watch for this kid to start working his way through the pack.

Wildcard watch, field: Lyvante Su’ema, Angelina Tignani, Toby Stolberg, Laylani Va’ai, Liam Georgilopoulos.

Wildcard watch track: Jai Gordon, Emelia Surch, Flynn Pumpa, Georgie Harris, Lachlan Kennedy, Txai Anglin, Ashley Wong, Isabella Harte.

DIVING

AYYSHA KOLOI, KATE ROSMAN

Remember the names of Alysha Koloi, a Cavendish Road SHS alumni, and Kate Rosman.

The 20-year-olds are both 3m springboard and synchro pair exponents who missed the Commonwealth Games by just one point.

Alysha Koloi is an outstanding prospect.

Lachlan Cronin, 21, was another diver who narrowly missed Games’ selection, and Samantha Olivier, a 10m platform exponent who just turned 18.

Diver Maggie Grey. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Olivier was third in the senior nationals in her debut at the event which was an incredible result. He is aiming for the World Junior Championships later in the year after crossing over the high level gymnastics three years ago.

Wildcard watch: Emily Francis, Lacey Hema, Maggie Grey.

BASEBALL

JACKSON GROUNDS

The 185cm tall right handed pitcher from Carina Redsox was recruited by Pittsburgh Pirates having come through Queensland’s pathway, first representing the Queensland under 16s in an Australian Youth Championships winning effort in 2017. He then played for Queensland under 18s and in senior competition last season, consistently struck out opponents while having a high batting average. From the rich sporting grounds of Marist College Ashgrove, his big attributes were arm velocity and work ethic.

BSHS’s Sophie Malcolm, left, with her friend Sophie Butler. Picture, John Gass

ROWING

SOPHIE MALCOLM

Rowing Queensland have a strong cohort of rising young Queensland rookies but none are better that BSHS’s Sophie Malcolm (Centenary Rowing Club) as a single sculler, lightweight double scull and quadruple scull gold medal winner. Malcolm also joined her sister Jessica in also winning the national championship under 21 double scull earlier this year. Malcolm is also an outstanding cross country runner who helped BSHS win the QGSSSA aggregate trophy at its championship.

JAEVE PROBERTS and ELLA SMITH

The Pine Rivers Rowing Club won the Under 19 Women’s Double Scull at the nationals this year for the second year in a row, following their coxless pair’s triumph, among other successes.

Rowing watch list: Lachlan Wright, Mackenzie Branch, Max Taylor, Fergus Cummins, Sophia Wightman, Ellyn Hill and Nancy Duncan-Banks are all other fine athletes.

LuLu Elliott Picture, John Gass

WATER POLO

MOLLY NASSER, AMELISA WATT and co

Queensland is the rising powerhouse of Australian water polo, featuring the best women’s senior team in the country and the leading junior club, Mermaids, in Australia.

The sport has a brace of athletes leading the charge toward the 2028 and 2032 Olympics including Tori Kininmonth, Annabel Cowen, Taafili Taoso, Lulu Elliott, Molly Nasser, Lousia Downes (all Mermaids) and Polo Bears’ Amelia Watt, a St Rita’s College alumni.

Amelia Watt as a schoolgirl at St Rita's College. She is now an Aussie youth player coached by Naomi McCarthy at North Brisbane Polo Bears.

Nasser is from the sporting rich Nasser family, with her cousin, Bella, mentioned elsewhere in this story as a rugby 7s prospect, while both her brother and cousin were outstanding male rugby players. Nasser’s uncle, Brendan, is also a Wallaby.

BSHS student and water polo rookie from Mermaids Taafili Taoso. Picture, John Gass

Centre forward Taafili Taoso only started in the sport three years ago after being talked into it by her friend Lulu Elliott, while Kininmonth’s mother Rachael is an Olympian (rowing).

Amelia Watt and Molly Nasser have had experience with the Qld Thunder.

CHELSEA JOHNSON, LILY CARRICK

Both schoolgirls Lily Carrick (St Rita’s College) and Chelsea Johnson (St Margaret’s) were members of the Australian Junior Olympics team with Johnson a foundation player at the powerhouse Mermaids club.

WILL VALENTINE

Valentine came into his own in the second half of last season, culminating in being named MVP in his age group at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships.

Queensland youth player Jack Fodor from UQ Barras. Picture, John Gass

JACK FODOR

A Brisbane Boys College year 12 student, the UQ Barras is a tremenmdous talent with a high work ethic who will be a big contender for youth and senior national teams ths decade.

BSHS; s Leilani Hills in action. Photo Jeremy Piper

RUGBY 7s

TAYLA SKYES, AVA WERETA and co

The Queensland women’s 7s program has never looked stronger with this Super Seven of talent – Amahli Hala (Bond club, Kings Christan College), Heidi Dennis (John Paul College),

Leilani Hills (BSHS), Montaya Hudson (Marsden SHS), Ava Wereta (Bond club, Kings Christan College) and Tayla Sykes (UQ club, St Aidan’s).

Bond Uni's Diane Waight, right, is a contender who emerged this year.

Those rookies were the younger crop pushing up behind the likes of UQ foursome Sidney Taylor, Natalie Wright, Bella Nasser and Kaitlin Shave, and Bond Uni’s Faythe Manera and Sunnybank’s Kahli Henwood.

Shave is a former sprinter who runs sub 12 seconds and Nasser is a part of a sporting rich family.

Marsden SHS's Montaya Hudson,

Wildcard watch: Diane Waight (Bond), Haidee Head (Easts) and Heleina Young (GPS), with Gold Coast’s Waight a thrilling raw talent who has emerged this year.

CYCLING

The Games in Birmingham saw Maryborough product Kristina Clonan burst onto the Australian team for the first time, but there are others looming later this decade.

But an awesome foursome were the next generation behind him

JAMES MORIARTY: in his second year in the AusCycling and Podium Potential Academy.

DECLAN TREZISE: Toowoomba cyclist from the ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast team is a road and track high achiever who, in 2020, was crowned under 19 criterium and road race national champion.

Isabelle Carnes and Declan Trezise were gun youngs. Picture Lachie Millard

ISABELLE CARNES: The teenager this year claimed the individual time trial national championship after a brilliant performance. Hermit Park State School alumni is from the ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast team.

TOM TUCKER: A BMX racing specialist, the Moreton shire schoolboy is a nine-time world champion who has been recognised as an AusCycling Emerging Athlete.

Wildcard watch: Teya Rufu and Joel Dodds.

William Valentine is a young gun. Picture, John Gass

HOCKEY

RUBY HARRIS, JADE SMITH

Awesome foursome from the Eastern Suburbs Club, renowned strikers Ruby Harris and Jade Smith (women), midfield’s Michael Doan and defender David Hubbard, were all member of the respective women’s and men’s junior national squads.

Ruby Harris. (AAP Image/Kelly Barnes)

Smith, a Moreton Bay College alumni, is also a renowned leader while Harris, a St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School old girl, is a razor sharp striker who were joined in the women’s squad by:

Kyra Livermore: The Arana Ascot premiership winner who is a top defender

Jade Reid: Yet another Tweed original, Ried is an attacking midfielder with Commercial

Dayle Dolkens: Gold Coast native and Commercial striker

Georgina West: A St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School student, West (Kedron Wavell) is the baby of the national junior squad renowned as an attacking midfielder

Laney Belle Smith: Another Arana Ascot player, she is an attacking midfielder who hailed from the Gold Coast.

Pine Rivers St Andrews’ Liam Hart. Picture by Richard Gosling

LIAM HART

The Padua College old boy has been a hockey prodigy, coming through the junior representative teams and climbing to play for the Australian under 21s and is now a member of the junior men’s squad alongside Bulimba Bulls’ Jayden Atkinson and Gladstone original Will Mathison.

The Pine Rivers St Andrews striker is the nephew of hockey great Mark Hagar, but the sport has his parents, Helen and Greg, to thank for introducing him to the hockey.

The style of St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School student Georgina West. Picture: Shae Beplate.

NETBALL

ASHLEIGH ERVIN and JADA DELANEY

This terrific trio lead the pack when it comes to Queensland youth talent chasing Diamonds’ selection later this decade.

Ervin (USQ Jets) and Delaney (USC Thunder) were in a group of Queenslanders recognised in elite national under 17 or under 19 squads following the National Netball Championships.

St Rita’s netball talent Gemma Hutchings Photographer: Liam Kidston

Australian under 19 squad members from Queensland are: Ava Black (USC Thunder), Ervin (USQ Jets), Lillyana Renni (Brisbane South Wildcats), Elsa Sif Sandholt (USQ Jets);

Queenslanders in the under 17 national squad are: Delaney, Darcie Davies, Sophia Dobson (Carina Leagues Tigers), Talitah Fai Fai (Titans), Gemma Hutchings (ACU Brisbane North Cougars), Ocean Karekare (USQ Jets), Jayden Molo (ACU Brisbane North Cougars) and Kaylin Van Greunen (Panthers).

Wildcard watch: Isabelle Shearer.

SWIMMING

How’s this for a fantastic five?

Kai Taylor: Representing Australia A at the US National Championships, the son of swimming champion Hayley Lewis finished seventh (1:47.50, PB) in the men’s 200m Freestyle final.

Hannah Casey of Mt St Michaels College at the CASSSA swimming championships. Action from the CASSSA swimming championships. Thursday March 10, 2022. Picture, John Gass

Thomas Hauck: The All Saints junior is an athlete every swimming coach would love to have in his stable, a workhorse going places.

Jamie Perkins: A Sunshine Coast junior, Perkins is now in the bosom of the St Peters Western squad under Dean Boxall’s watch.

Hannah Casey of Mt St Michaels Colleg. Picture, John Gass

Hannah Casey: From the old school of triple Olympic gold medallist Meg Harris (Mt St Michael), the towering Casey is the latest freestyle sprint youth sensation from the state.

Jaclyn Barclay: Another St Peters Western prospect, Barclay keeps upping the ante the more race experience she gets.

Kai Taylor is on the march in the 100m and 200m freestyle. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Wildcard watch: Take your pick out of any of the Queensland swim team, but don’t take your eyes off Sophie Martin (Somerville), Taryn Roberts (Rocky City), Amelia Weber (St Peters), Mikayla Bird (Bond), Milla Jansen (Bond), Anders McAlpine (Chandler) and Joshua Staples (St Peters).

Queenslanders also dominated the recent selection in the Australia A side which competed at the US National Championships.

Miami’s Mikayla Smith representing Australia A in the USA. Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images/

Although affected by a Covid outbreak it was a great experience for Mia O’Leary (Bond), Rebecca Jacobson (Rackley), Talara Jade-Dixon (St Hilda’s), Mikayla Smith (Miami), Tahlia Thornton (USC Spartans), Kalana Ireland (Somerville House), Joseph Jackson (Brisbane Grammar), Dylan Andrea (Nudgee College), Ty Hartwell (Chandler), Ashton Brinkworth (USC Spartans), Taylor and Hauck.

John Paul College's multi sport athlete Heidi Dennis.

BASKETBALL

KATIE DEEBLE

Debble is a teenage point guard star who has risen to prominence after starting at the North Gold Coast Seahawks.

Gold Coast basketball junior Jess Petrie. Picture: SUPPLIED

MAX MACKINNON

McKinnon is following in the footsteps of his dad, Australian basketball legend Sam Mackinnon. Having helped lead Queensland to an Under-20 National Championship last year and after earning a scholarship to the Basketball Australia Centre of Excellence, he has had another big year so far.

JESS PETRIE

With numerous state championships under her belt representing Gold Coast Basketball, including capping-off her juniors with another gold medal earlier this month, Jess Petrie is one of the top young basketball talents in the country. She is the daughter of NBL and WNBL players Anthony and Sarah Petrie

Wildcard watch: The 218cm tall 16-year-old is one of the most exciting prospects to come out of Queensland in years.

John Paul College student Angela Yu (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

BADMINTON

John Paul College siblings Angela Yu (2021) and Jack Yu (Year Twelve 2022) went on the rise – they have already have already risen. The school students were selected to represent Australia in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for badminton, and were young enough to take their careers well into the 2020s.

The John Paul College Yu sister and brother team.

Originally published as Our next 50 rookie sport stars from 12 sports eyeing Games glory