We name the 20 under-20 stars you need to watch in 2024
From hockey and cricket to football and swimming, we name the 20 Toowoomba and Darling Downs athletes aged 20 years and under who you need to watch in 2024.
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Toowoomba and the Darling Downs have long been considered a sporting powerhouse.
Countless national and international stars who stamped their mark in team and individual sports from hockey and rugby league to the Commonwealth and Olympic Games first enjoyed their chosen sport here on the Downs.
The region’s sporting legacy is also in safe hand with a host of young stars showing plenty of promise.
Here’s our look at 20 under-20 stars you need to watch in 2024.
Declan Ryan
The dynamic and exciting halfback has long been considered one of Toowoomba Rugby League’s best young talents.
He captained Highfields Eagles U19s to back-to-back premierships this year, kicking the winning field goal in extra time, and has been one of the Western Clydesdales’ best in recent seasons.
The Raiders have had their eye on Ryan for some time after an initial deal fell through a few years ago.
Sophie Daley
Three years ago Daley swapped her gymnastic grips for a barbell, and she hasn’t looked back.
After being named in the Australian High Performance Youth Squad, Daley won silver at the 2023 Oceania Youth Championships in Samoa earlier this year.
Under the guidance of highly respected Australia and Toowoomba weightlifting coach Greg Hobl she is sure to go from strength to strength in 2024.
Zara Kruger
The Warwick talent played 10 games for the Brisbane Roar in her debut A-League Women’s season.
The 17-year-old attacking midfielder is a regular for the Young Matildas and a bright young football talent.
Ava Black
After impressing as a temporary injury replacement this season, Black has signed her first full-time Suncorp Super Netball contract.
The former Australia U19 squad member is highly skilled, passionate and versatile as she is able to play across the midcourt.
Judah Magarey
Magarey isn’t sure if he wants to chase his AFL or Olympic Games dreams, but thankfully at just 10 years of age he doesn’t need to make a decision just yet.
Earlier this year he wrote his name into the history books.
Competing in the 1500m at the Queensland Representative School Sports Track and Field State Championships, he ran a record 4 minutes 50.99 seconds to claim gold.
He already has his eyes set on recording back-to-back wins and records with hopes of running 4.39 at next year’s titles.
At this rate of development Magarey could be in the mix at the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.
Felicity Koch
The talented all-rounder has been on the cusp of representative cricket for a number of years before breaking through this season.
The teen star is in line to make her senior debut having been named in the Queensland Country squad.
Koch has her sights on playing for the Qld Fire in the future and is every chance of making that dream a reality.
Bud Smith
The lock forward is set to follow in the footsteps of his famous dad – NRL, Queensland and Australian league legend Jason Smith.
He has signed a deal with the Canterbury Bulldogs and will begin the year in the U19s.
A damaging ball runner who plays well above his weight – there’s a good chance Bud will be an NRL Bulldogs star just like his dad in the future.
Simone Botha
Alongside Amy Williams, Botha was one of just two Darling Downs Panthers named in Queensland squads in 2023 and the only one to make the “final cut”.
Botha is still a raw talent finding her away around the representative landscape, but she is a top talent.
The young shooter is accurate anywhere in the circle and committed to backing herself.
Taylah Chapman
The 2022 Sports Darling Downs Junior Para Athlete of the Year is arguably one of the region’s best young athletes.
At this year’s 13-19 Years Queensland School Sport Track & Field Championships, she won shot put, javelin, discus and 200m gold, 100m silver and 4x 100m relay bronze.
At the 2022 national championships, she finished with U15 discus silver, U17 javelin silver and U15 long jump bronze.
Chapman still has plenty of years to hone her skills and is a committed and passionate athlete.
Harriet Lloyd-Jones
A star on the rise, Harriet is one of Australia’s most promising runners.
In the under-20 3km steeplechase she outran a talent-packed field to finish with gold.
Entering the race as the number two seed, she ran a personal best time of 10 minutes and 48 seconds reducing her old mark by 13 seconds.
Lloyd-Jones has her sights on qualifying for the world U20 championships in 2024.
Matthew Taylor
The current Australian U17 discus champion added two gold medals to his trophy cabinet this season.
Geordie Cowdroy
Australia’s number two ranked jumper won the 16 years boys high jump title at the Queensland School Sport Track & Field Championships this year.
Cowdroy, 16, shines on the big stages and loves to compete.
Jayden Graham
The only thing slowing Graham down this year was the medals he had to wear.
The 13-year-old multi-class runner bought home a swag of medals from the Queensland School Sport Track & Field Championships, winning gold in the 400m, 800m and 1500m, along with two silver medals in the 100m and 200m.
Bobbie Hamlet
Hamlet plays at a level well beyond her young years.
Last year the talented young keeper was named in Hockey Australia’s 2022 Futures Squads program and she is a regular Queensland rep player in the outdoor and indoor versions of the game.
Sienna Deurloo
You can’t talk about open water swimming and not mention Deurloo.
Deurloo is one of Australian swimming’s brightest young stars.
Evie King
The 14-year-old caught “green and gold fever” when she was named in the Oz Ball Aussie Drop Bears squad to compete at the Babe Ruth World Series League – U14 Softball World Series.
King is a star behind the plate and one of Toowoomba softball’s most promising talents in years.
Thisaja ‘TJ’ Samarawickrama
TJ as he is known to his teammates and friends is a right arm quick capable of rattling just about any batter.
His 12 wickets earned him a place in the Australian U17 merit team as the only Queenslander in the squad.
Tom Campbell
Another of Toowoomba Hockey’s top junior players, Campbell was one of five THA players named in the 2022 Hockey Australia’s Futures Squads.
The Rangeville star is a Queensland representative team regular and versatile player who can cover the midfield and centre-half line.
Ruby King
The Smithys TGW Country Gym (Pittsworth) boxer is surrounded by top coaches and fighters but it is the 12 year old’s passion and work ethic that will take her places in the future.
Lekaysha Woodbridge
Following in her father’s footsteps, Woodbridge has never backed down from a challenge.
The 16-year-old is one of Australia’s top female boxers and an inspiration to young girls all around the country.
Woodbridge’s career and reputation as a highly skilled boxer has developed to a point that more experienced fighters are starting to avoid her in pursuit of a more favourable match up.
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