Remember these names: Jon Dibben, Jordan Thomas, and Dan McLay.
Jason Kenny, Charlotte Dujardin, and Mo Farah–decorated sports stars all–could generate headlines at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. But up-and-comers could do just the same.
So, courtesy of cycle clothing stockist Leisure Lakes Bikes, let’s look at three, relatively unknown athletes who may become household names in just two year’s time.
Jon Dibben, Cycling
There’s no denying that British cycling has been on a phenomenal run at recent Olympic Games. And 24-year-old Jon Dibben, who almost made the team at Rio 2016, could become the next British cyclist of note.
Courtesy: Deep South Media
This GB Academy graduate became a professional cyclist in 2017. He’s currently a member of the prestigious ‘Team Sky’–a team that has had five Tour de France winners, a Vuelta a España winner, and a Giro d’Italia winner–all achieved since 2012.
Dibben claimed his first pro win at the 2017 Tour of California–just five months into his professional career. Speaking to Cycling Weekly after that breakthrough victory, Dibben evaluated the win: “At the start of the year, I didn’t have any specific goals. Just to turn up at races and do my job, hitting performance targets…. I guess I would have been happy with a top 20, so to win is pretty damn good!”
With a Gold Medal at the 2016 Track World Championships also on his record—not to mention the fact he’s a European omnium bronze medallist—Dibben is becoming a decorated cycler.
Could an Olympic medal soon become the centerpiece of his prize-winning collection? We’ll see.
Jordan Thomas, Karate
A star will definitely be born when karate appears at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. That’s because Tokyo 2020 will be the first time the sport has formed part of the Games’ programme. Men and women will take part in kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) events.
Courtesy: Cimac
And there’s one competitor–Jordan Thomas–who has a fantastic chance to become a star in Japan. He certainly has the genes for it. He’s the son of William Thomas, who won the 1986 European Championships and, later, the World Title in 1992.
Jordan, a Luton-born athlete, is following in his father’s footsteps. He grabbed national headlines by becoming the first Briton in 12 years to claim kumite gold at the 2016 World Championships (-67kg division). Jordan was also a Gold and Bronze medallist at the European Championships.
To work towards his dream of winning Olympic Gold, Jordan has formed a partnership with Great Britain’s taekwondo team. Talking to the BBC about the move, Thomas said: “Being in that system takes a lot of stress off me. I’m glad they’ve actually seen that [Olympic gold potential] in me because I believe I can get there myself.”
It could well be a winning tactic IF Jordan becomes the first-ever karate Olympic champion. Don’t bet against it!
Dan McLay, Cycling
Dan McLay, who was born in New Zealand, was brought up in Leicester. He burst onto the international cycling scene by placing third in the Arpajon-sur-Cere-to-Montauban stage of the 2016 Tour De France. That achievement was remarkable because McLay had less lead-out firepower to play with.
Courtesy: Cycling News
He reflected on the performance in an interview with Rouleur: “I think the biggest positive was not so much the third place…. For me…it was showing my abilities.”
And McLay certainly has ability! He won on the final day at the 2017 Challenge Mallorca and, later, won the 2017 Tour de l’Eurométropole by nudging out Anthony Turgis of France in a final sprint.
McLay’s priority is focusing on how he can improve. He told Cycling News: “It’s about finding that consistency…. But that’s easy to say and hard to do.”
Making it easier in Tokyo (we hope) is the likelihood that the race will be held on a flat road. That feature is especially well-suited to sprinters, like McLay.
Could he lead Team GB to its first medal since Max Sciandri claimed Bronze at the 1996 Games in Atlanta? Let’s hope so!
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This article was sponsored by Leasure Lakes Bikes.
