2024: Ones To Watch Recap
A look back at some predictions made at the beginning of 2024.
At the start of 2024, HER WAY identified 10 athletes that I thought could be in for a big year and elevate their reputation in the sporting landscape. The criteria was that they needed to be under 24 years old and weren’t already considered superstars in the mainstream.
Here are the original predictions, and how they went during the year.
ALEXA LEARY:
Here’s the thing - ‘Lex’ was already a World Champion coming into 2024, a fact that was largely lost on the mainstream media and public. She won gold at the Para World Champs which ran during the FIFA Women’s World Cup in the middle of the Australian night on the other side of the world.
However her story and resilience finally got mainstream attention at the Trials and then again in Paris, where she become a record-breaking superstar in the pool. A winner of two Paralympic gold medals, world records, Gold Coast’s Woman of the Year, Paralympic Australia’s Rookie of the Year, plus a host of red carpet and VIP events. 2024 was the year life changed for Alexa.
TEAGAN LEVI:
Older sister Maddi may have a slightly higher profile, but Teagan Levi confirmed her status as one of the Australian Rugby Sevens team’s most important player in 2024.
Her toughness and reliability in defence is matched by her playmaking - Teagan led the Olympic Sevens tournament for try assists (8) and also had the most offloads (7).
With Australia suffering several season-ending ACL injuries during the season, 21 year old Teagan took on even greater responsibility in helping the team win the World SVNS title.
ANNMARIE DE URIATE:
16 year old Annmarie burst onto the scene in Para football in 2023 when she debuted for the Para Matildas in a series against Japan.
Alongside fellow teen Trinity McPhie, Annmarie was named for the Para Matildas’ November World Cup squad in Spain.
The shy and quiet de Uriate was a solid contributor throughout the Para Matildas’ historic World Cup victory, provideing plenty of speed and forward pressure at crucial times during the final, before being rewarded with a late goal as the Australians defeated the USA.
TATUM STEWART:
It was a year of highs and lows for Tatum. She came into 2024 having helped Brisbane Blaze win the Hockey One title, as well as being a key player for the Jillaroos at the 2023 World Cup.
A torn meniscus injury early in the year threatened to derail Tatum’s Olympic dream, but she recovered to not only make the squad, but was a star in the games she played, scoring on three occasions for the Hockeyroos in Paris.
However she was forced to have knee surgery post-Olympics, and played no part in the most recent Hockey One league.
DAISY THOMAS:
The teenager burst onto the World Cup Freestyle Skiing scene when she made her first final last December.
Since then it’s been a big year for the Sydney student, finishing year 12 studies, and in May was named Snow Australia’s Junior Athlete of the Year.
However Daisy’s biggest moment was probably way back in January competing at the Winter Youth Olympics, when she became the first Australian to medal in the Big Air event with silver in South Korea.
MALI LOVELL:
Mali broke the 200m T36 Australian Record in April at the National Athletics Champs, and days later was named as one of the first members of the Australian Athletics team for the Paris Paralympics, alongside her two idols Vanessa Low and Madi de Rozario.
The 20 year old northern beaches runner then headed to the Para Athletics World Champs in May, where she secured bronze in the 200m, and repeated that achievement in her first Paralympic Games, winning bronze on the same day as one of her best friends, javelin thrower Dayna Crees.
BREIANA WHITEHEAD:
Australia’s first ever representative at Kitefoil sailing at an Olympics certainly did herself and her country proud.
Brei negotiated fairly passive conditions in Paris very well, qualifying for Semi Final A, before bowing out in a respectable 9th place at her first Olympics.
She finished the year taking home one of Sailing Australia’s major awards, being name as Female Sailor of the Year.
NYADIEW PUOCH:
‘Nards’ was front and centre at the hyped up WNBA Draft night earlier this year, rubbing shoulders with Caitlin Clark, Angel Rees and co, before being selected as a first round pick (12th overall) by Atlanta Dream. Fellow Aussie and friend Izzy Borlase would go on to be picked by Atlanta as well.
This all happened just a few weeks after becoming a WNBL champion, where she won the title with Southside Flyers alongside Lauren Jackson, Bec Cole, Maddy Rocci and Seattle Storm’s Mercedes Russell.
Nyadiew remained in Australia during the recent WNBA season to work on her craft, and switched to the UC Capitals for this season, who are coached by none other than Atlanta Dream Assistant Coach Paul Goriss.
MARISSA WILLIAMSON-POHLMAN:
Marissa became the first Indigenous Australian woman to represent Australia in boxing in Paris, something she achieved while competing with a serious injury in the qualification bout in the Solomon Islands.
‘Riss’ didn’t advance after her opening bout in Paris, however as she told HER WAY in an interview prior to heading to Paris, the moment she qualified for her first Olympics, the 22 year sold was already thinking about qualifying for her second games in LA.
ARISA TREW:
14 year old Arisa came into 2024 already a dual X Games gold medallist, however was probably better known for going viral as the first female skater to execute a 720 in competition.
That achievement ultimately saw her win the Laureus Sport Award in April this year for Action Athlete of the Year, however that would be just the start of an incredible 2024.
Arisa won both of the Olympic Qualifying series events leading into Paris, and also pulled off a 900 trick during a training session in June. The following month at the X Games in Ventura, California, Arisa won double gold in the Park Skate and Vert disciplines.
Then a couple of weeks later came Arisa’s gold medal winning performance in Paris, which made her the youngest ever Aussie to become an Olympic champion by taking out the Park Final. Arisa told HER WAY that she hoped the Vert event might be considered for future Olympics.
Arisa then headed to Italy in September where she claimed the Vert World Championship at the World Skate Games, before another X Games title in Japan with gold in the Park - a victory where she declared, “I’m even more happy than my Olympic gold.”