Gold Quest

The author lists sportsmen who can set the stage ablaze in the Olympic year

Anthony Joshua, 26

In the late 1980s, the world was confronted with a boxing specimen so savage that his opponents often struggled to look him in the eye before a fight: a certain Mike Tyson. Tyson, as the legendary boxing writer Bert Sugar once said, “...was always out to kill.” Anthony Joshua is probably the only boxer in the last 20 years to have come close to matching Tyson’s ferocity. Joshua, the Olympic super-heavyweight champion, boasts of an unblemished 15-0 professional record. In 2015, only Dillian Whyte could take him beyond the third round, eventually getting battered in the seventh. This year is likely to be a defining one for Joshua, with David Haye and Dereck Chisora, two former world champions, being lined up as potential opponents. It is only a matter of time before Joshua, the current WBC international heavyweight champion, challenges for the world heavyweight championship.

 

  Jordan Spieth, 22

Not since a young Tiger Woods dazzled the world with his precocious golfing ability two decades ago have we seen a better young golfer than Jordan Spieth.

At the Masters last year, Spieth tied the 72-hole course record set by Woods in 1997, winning with a score of 270 (-18). He finished in the top five of all the four majors last year, winning two. In 2016, the world number one will look to help the US regain the Ryder Cup and reaffirm his status as the world’s top golfer.

 

Ashton Eaton, 27

For the last couple of years, Ashton Eaton has been the most complete athlete on the planet. For those who understand athletics well, the decathlon is by far the most demanding event an athlete can compete in. And, Eaton has proven time and again that he is the best at the discipline. Before the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, there was some apprehension about Eaton defending the crown he had won so convincingly in Moscow two years prior. But Eaton comprehensively outplayed the rest of the field, setting a new record. The finest American decathlete since Caityln (then Bruce) Jenner, a repeat performance in Rio will see him match the great Daley Thompson.

Stephen Curry, 27

For somebody who doesn’t have the lofty personality of a LeBron James or the stature of a Kobe Bryant, it is remarkable how Stephen Curry has transcended the sport of basketball in the last two years. It was mainly down to Curry’s phenomenal performances that the Golden State Warriors won their first NBA title in 40 years. At just 6’3, Curry is tiny for a point guard. But his numbers in the last year have been, quite frankly, absurd. Curry is currently averaging 32.3 points per game, to go with six assists and five rebounds. That puts him in the same league as Bryant, Magic Johnson and Wilt Chamberlain. Another title for the Warriors this year will confirm his status as one of the greatest ever to have graced the NBA.

 

Neymar, 23

There is little doubt that when the FIFA Ballon d’Or is given out in Zurich later this month, Lionel Messi will elatedly climb the stage and collect the trophy. Last year, even by Messi’s standards, was quite special. But not once did Neymar seem under the shadow of the great Argentine during Barcelona’s treble-winning season last year. Neymar, for long, has been one of the best in the world, but 2015 saw the birth of an astute and responsible team player. In Messi’s absence during the latter part of last year, Neymar combined lethally with Luis Suarez; the duo tormenting defences almost for fun. This year could see the young Brazilian break Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s duopoly over the Ballon d’Or.

Birendra Lakra, 25

A little over a decade ago, Bimal Lakra forged a reliable midfield partnership with Viren Rasquinha and Ignace Tirkey to lead the Indian hockey team to a series of wins at major tournaments. His younger brother, Birendra, has taken over that responsibility now. Birendra has been the focal point of the Indian defence for the last 18 months. His sturdy showing at the back was one of the major reasons for India’s historic bronze medal-winning performance at the Hockey World League Finals in Raipur last month. Originally a midfielder, Roleant Oltmans has shrewdly deployed Birendra as a fullback, making full use of his fluid distribution qualities. He will be one of the young players to keep an eye on at Rio de Janeiro this year.

Usain Bolt, 29

In 2015, Justin Gatlin did most of the talking. And Usain Bolt did most of the running, beating his American rival in both the 100m and 200m at the World Championships in Beijing. The fact that Bolt is the greatest sprinter to have ever roamed this planet is well documented and Rio will be the Olympic finale to the career of the most mercurial athlete the Games have ever seen. At 29, it would be fatuous to expect the Jamaican to set any new world records, but it would be stupid to bet against him clinching the “triple triple” — winning the 100m, 200m and 4X100m titles for the third consecutive Olympic Games. Bolt won in Beijing despite not being in peak physical condition. One can only imagine what he can do when fully fit. Gatlin, Trayvon Bromell and Mike Rodgers must be sweating already.

Novak Djokovic, 28

It’s funny how Novak Djokovic still finds mention on this list.

The undisputed world number one for the last two years and with 10 Grand Slam titles, there is little more that the Serb can do. Yet, he somehow can. With Roger Federer’s star on the wane and Rafael Nadal still battling problems with his fitness, the men’s game must brace itself for an omnipotent force that is likely to dominate the game for some years to come. Sublime fitness levels and a humongous appetite for winning tennis matches is what makes Djokovic so unique. In 2015, Djokovic clinched three of the four slams and the season-ending ATP Tour Finals. Unless Andy Murray can somehow muster the moxie to overcome him, 2016 will be more of the same for Djokovic. His path to true greatness begins this year.

Ravichandran Ashwin, 29

It is not every day that the best Test team in the world is made to look so painfully ordinary. Against South Africa last year, Ravichandran Ashwin hoodwinked the Proteas with guile and menace that was woefully missing the previous year. The year also saw Ashwin climb to the top of the ICC Test bowlers and all-rounder rankings. With 62 wickets last year, the Chennai offie has firmly established himself as the world’s number one spinner. The tour to Australia, which starts later this month, and the T20 World Cup in March-April, are opportunities for Ashwin to augment that reputation. Despite his astounding success in 2015, we may yet not have seen his best, or so the Indian team would be hoping.