Australia has undoubtedly “manufactured” many sports superstars over the years. We are talking about those athletes who have made our hearts skip a beat through their unparalleled performances and almost supernatural abilities in the field or on the court. Today we will introduce you to a brief list of rare talents who were born in the land Down Under and either spread their wings on other realms or continued to represent their country with great pride over the years.
Lleyton Hewitt, the Tennis Superstar Down Under
With a winner's attitude 24/7 and an iconic cap worn backward, Lleyton Hewitt is one of the most recognizable, popular, praised, and beloved Australian tennis players with fans in all corners of the world. While he might be ranked 446th in the ATP as of February 2020, the semi-retired pro tennis player born in Adelaide was once Number 1 in the global tennis rankings. He is also known as the freshest Aussie player to win a Grand Slam in Men's Single and the youngest player to rank first in the world when he was only 20.
In total, Hewitt has a mind-blowing track record counting more than thirty singles titles as well as three doubles titles These include the US Open final in 2004 where he lost against none other than tennis God Roger Federer, and also the 2001 US Open title, the 2002 Wimbledon men's singles title and the Davis Cup where he managed to win for Australia on two different occasions. Lleyton is also known for his unmerciful style of playing tennis, especially considering his ongoing conflict with Bernard Tomic, another Aussie tennis player who went pro, currently ranked the 17th position in the world.
Ben Simmons, the Greatest Aussie Sportsman on the Planet
Record-breaking 24-year-old NBA star Ben Simmons is a professional basketball player with double Australian-American citizenship who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. He also played for the Australian national team, and he is often called the next LeBron James, and for good reason. For now, his fresh deal with the 76ers team is expected to begin during the 2020-2021 NBA season. He is under his rookie contract worth over $8 million for the 2019-2020 season.
Ben has also been an active college basketball player, representing the Louisiana State University Tigers team with great pride. He received the Freshman of the Year title issued by the US Basketball Writers Association and the Rookie of the Year title in 2018. Simmons owns the NBA All-Star distinction for 2019 and 2020. LeBron James himself mentored Ben after watching him play and expressing his belief that he would one day be a better player than him.
Cadel Evans As A Living Legend Of Cycling
Arguably the most popular cyclist in Australia, Evans is a former professional racer who was a part of the Top 10 during 11 Grand Tours. He is also the winner of the Tour de France in 2011 and he is said to have the ability to breathe in more oxygen than 99.9% of the global population, which must have contributed to the fantastic results in his career. Cadel is also one of the most humble and graceful cyclists in the country and this has helped him turn into one of the most beloved athletes in the land Down Under.
Sam May Kerr, The Uncrowned Queen Of Tennis
In 2017, Sam received the prestigious Julie Dolan Medal twice. The medal is awarded to the best players in Australia. She also had the honour of receiving the Women's Footballer of the Year Award issued by the Professional Footballers Australia. At the moment, Sam is shining bright while playing for Chelsea as part of the English FA Women's Super League. She is also the captain of the Matildas, the Australian soccer team for women. Starting in 2019, Sam is also the female athlete who has scored most points in both the US and Australia. She even rejected Barcelona and Chelsea to play for Perth Glory, her hometown club and she was nominated for the Ballon D’Or in 2018.
Ian Thorpe, The Natural-Born Swimmer From Sydney
Ian was born in Sydney and specialized in freestyle swimming. He is best known for turning almost all the events he attended into so-called Thorpedo shows (since he was a super-fast swimmer). Ian was only 14 when he received the title for the youngest male swimmer ever to represent the country. He won the 400-metre freestyle contest during the World Championships held in Perth in 1998 and he became the youngest swimmer to take home a World Champion title. He went on a winning streak ever since, with the 400 m freestyle turning into his favorite competition to attend. He won it during each Olympics he attended and World, Pan Pacific, and Commonwealth competitions.All in all, he won eleven World Championship gold medals. He was also the first athlete on the planet to receive the title of
the Swimmer of the Year on four occasions. At some point in his life, he became a beloved philanthropist, which is another reason why Aussies love him so much.
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