South Australia’s top 10 talented young athletes to watch out for ahead of Brisbane 2032 Olympics
From swimmers to cyclists, here are the 10 local athletes who could be highlighting the Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics in 2032.
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THE Australian sporting world is buzzing after it was officially announced that the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Brisbane.
It’s been 21 years since the Olympics and Paralympics were hosted in Sydney – and athletes and sporting staff around the nation are rejoicing knowing they will have a rare chance to experience a home-based Games.
“Any opportunity to have a home Olympics is massive. The announcement has definitely lifted the motivation and spirits of athletes here in South Australia and around the country,” South Australian Sports Institute Senior Sport Physiologist, Dr Jamie Stanley said.
“You’ve got that younger athlete now, they’ll be around their primes by 2032 and there’ll be plenty of opportunity for them to make their mark until then.”
One of those younger athletes is 15-year-old South Australian swimmer Isabella ‘Izzy’ Vincent.
The Norwood Swimming School sensation will be competing in this year’s Tokyo Paralympics and has been preparing with the Australian Paralympic swimming team in Brisbane for the last two weeks.
“Competing in this year’s Tokyo Paralympics hadn’t even sunk in for me yet but to then get the news about Brisbane 2032 was very exciting, we’ve all been talking about it quite a lot,” Vincent said.
“Having a home crowd and having friends and family being able to be there would be so amazing.”
Vincent, who has sacral agenisis – a condition which means her spine stops above the sacrum and has left her with nerve issues and missing ligaments – only started swimming three years ago and has seen her skill and passion in the sport develop quickly.
She is determined to not only succeed in this year’s Paralympic Games, but to continue along her rising trajectory and make the team for 2032.
“I struggled when I was younger to find a sport – I didn’t really know there were options – but when I found the program at Norwood this whole door opened up and I’ve loved it ever since,” Vincent explained.
“I just want to get personal best times at the event this year and hopefully make a final, and with great coaching staff around me like Norwood coach Shaun Curtis and the Paralympic team staff, I’m in a strong position for the future.
“I really feel like I can make it to 2032 at the moment. I’m confident and looking after my body properly.”
So, with talented young South Australian athletes like Izzy now setting their sights on 2032, here are 10 young guns who will be looking to light up the Brisbane Olympics.
ISABEL ‘IZZY’ VINCENT (SWIMMING)
The 15-year-old Pembroke School and Norwood Swimming School student has accomplished endless success in her brief career.
A Paralympian this year, Vincent specialises in freestyle and backstroke events.
She has hauled in medals in the State LC Championships over the last three years, and also won gold in nine races at the 2020 SA Short Course Championships.
Vincent also recently achieved personal best times in all of her 2021 Australian Swimming Trials races, booking her a spot in this year’s Paralympics.
EMILY WHITE (SWIMMING)
Another prospect out of the Norwood Swimming Club, the 18-year-old has been accumulating medals at state level for over four years.
A strong distance swimmer, the Australian junior squad member won five medals at this year’s SA State Open Championships and was a finalist for the 800m Freestyle in the recent Australian Swimming Championships.
Look for her to continue developing at a fast rate and start putting her hand up for Brisbane once she hits her prime.
BOHDI SMITH (SKATEBOARDING)
This promising 11-year-old Largs Bay street skater is currently ranked top in Australia for his age and is world No. 11 for pre-teens – the highest ranked outside of the USA.
Competing in the SA Skateboarding League from as young as seven years old, he has amassed various wins at state and national levels, most recently finishing atop the SA street national championship qualifier for ages 12 and under, and then placing at the Australian Skateboarding League street nationals for ages 13 and under.
With street skating now an official smash-hit event at the Olympics, you can bet Smith will be grinding his way to the top in the green and gold.
CHARLOTTE KEMPENAERS-POCZ (TENNIS)
Kempenaers-Pocz is undoubtedly someone who could be ripping forehand winners for Australia in Brisbane 2032.
The 16-year-old from Glengowrie, who is currently ranked professionally at world No. 1259 and at world No. 138 for juniors, recently competed in the first round of the Australian Open Women’s Doubles after just failing to qualify for Women’s Singles.
She was also selected to represent Australia at the 2017 ITF World Junior Tennis finals at age 12, and won the 14 and under Australian Championship and Claycourt Championships singles titles in that same year.
JOSH TURNER (ARCHERY)
This talented 15-year-old from Morphett Vale has continued to rise up the archery ranks while also battling arteriovenous malformation – a condition which leads to abnormal connections between his veins and arteries and causes chronic pain.
The impressive young star who shoots for Eden Field Archers in the cadet compound division has been part of the Australian Youth Archery team, and recently won the 2021 Indoor Nationals by shooting 579 out of a possible 600.
He currently holds seven state records and nine national tournament records and now has his aim firmly focused on the Brissie Olympics.
ANGUS HINCKSMAN (ATHLETICS)
One of Australia’s top young para-athletes, Hincksman has already broken many national T38 track records.
The 15-year-old runner has not let his cerebral palsy stop him, smashing records in 5000m Open, under-20, under-18 and under-16 events while also lowering the 800m record three times and winning gold in the 800m and 1500m events at the Athletic SA State Championships last year.
He also impressively won silver in the able-bodied under-17 men’s 1500m race at this year’s SA Track and Field Championships.
IMOGEN HEALY (BMX)
At age 14, Healy’s resume already speaks for itself – the young daredevil making a habit of winning state and national titles every year she competes, as well as laying claim to a world No. 1 Plate.
Currently leading the 2021 AusCycling BMX National Championships, the Tea Tree Gully girl has set tracks around the nation ablaze.
She has finished first in her three state level series so far this year and first and third in two National Cup campaigns.
WIL HOLMES (CYCLING)
Holmes, a Norwood Cycling Club product, has been dominating at a state and national level as of late.
The 16-year-old finished top in the 2020 Cycling SA Super Series and recently broke a longstanding SA state record in the 2021 State and National Cycling Championships Junior Men Individual Pursuit event.
He also recently finished first in the General Classification and Mountain Classification events at the Ararat Junior Tour national competition.
PJ CARLIN (THROWING – SHOT-PUT)
At just 15 years old, Carlin has become one of the most dominant throwers in South Australia.
The Northern Districts Athletics Club thrower and Trinity College student made a name for himself in 2019 when he won gold in the Athletics SA U14 boys hammer throw event, throwing 50.34m to claim the record.
This year he has placed first in six separate shot-put events at under-16 and under-17 level, including at the Athletics SA State Championships in February.
THEODORA KASIMIDOU (CLIMBING)
Kasimidou, now 17 years old, put herself on the map at as young as 11 when she began climbing at the Adelaide Bouldering Club.
While many of the state and nation’s climbing events have been cancelled over the last two years due to Covid-19, the speedy scaler has still managed to find success.
She finished fourth in the most recent Youth National Championships – the highest finish of all South Australians – and second in the open age female section of the most recent South Australian titles.
She is undoubtedly set to spark up Australia’s upcoming championships and put her name forward for Brisbane 2032.
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