The Medalist
Tools
Medalist Index

Under-25 Global Sport Index

Asian and Asian diaspora athletes under 25 whose results already travel — a Medalist beat list, not a worldwide catch-all.

Updated Jul 26, 2026

Alexandra Eala practicing at the 2024 U.S. Open — under-25 talent measured by stage reached, not only by ranking points.

Alexandra Eala practicing at the 2024 U.S. Open — under-25 talent measured by stage reached, not only by ranking points.

Photo: Hameltion / CC BY-SA 4.0

Methodology: Editors weigh age (under 25 on the update date), recent elite results, and how clearly an athlete’s trajectory shows up outside a single domestic league. Judgment list focused on The Medalist’s Asia and diaspora beat.
  1. 1

    Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

    ↑

    Cricket · India

    15 — IPL Orange Cap, U19 World Cup final hero, and India’s youngest T20I fifty in the same calendar year.

  2. 2

    Pan Zhanle

    ↑

    Swimming · China

    21 — Olympic 100 free WR holder whose LA28 chapter is a comeback story after missing the 2025 Worlds final.

  3. 3

    Zheng Qinwen

    —

    Tennis · China

    23 — Olympic singles gold and a Grand Slam final already on the résumé before most careers peak.

  4. 4

    An Se-young

    —

    Badminton · Korea

    24 — World No. 1 and Olympic champion still collecting Super 1000-level weeks.

  5. 5

    Alexandra Eala

    ↑

    Tennis · Philippines

    21 — Career-high No. 29 and the clearest Southeast Asian singles breakthrough on the WTA Tour.

  6. 6

    Mao Shimada

    ↑

    Figure Skating · Japan

    17 — Junior World titles and senior national podiums while age-gated out of Milano Cortina.

  7. 7

    Ayush Shetty

    ↑

    Badminton · India

    20 — World No. 18 after India’s first men’s singles Asian Championships final in 64 years.