Will the youth step out to make Malaysia great again?

YOUNG Formula 1 driver Kimi Antonelli is just 19. And in his debut, the lad became only the second-youngest driver to win a race.

A week later, he became the youngest to lead the championship standings, by winning the first two races of the season in China and Japan.

What great promise this young man has. With the season just getting underway, Antonelli has added spice to what is set to a thrilling year.

He is not the only youth making waves.

On the football field, Arsenal’s Max Dowman became the youngest player to score at 16 years and 73 days in his club’s 2-0 win over Everton in the Premier League.

There is, of course, Barcelona’s phenomenal Lamine Yamal, still only 18.

He already has a European Championship winner’s medal, and is the youngest player to feature, assist, and score in the Euros. He is playing with remarkable maturity, alongside teammates like Pau Cubarsi (19) and many others.

Across Europe, a new generation – many under 23 – are rapidly building reputations.

And with the World Cup in June, more youngsters are set to step out of the shadows.

While young stars are being born globally, Malaysian sport seem to be hitting a wall.

In football, we have yet to see a youngster truly break through to stardom.

National winger Arif Aiman Hanapi was shaping up well, but injury has stalled his progress.

Even as the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) grapple with the mixed-heritage saga, state programmes must not stop producing talent.

This year’s Malaysia Games (Sukma) in Selangor will be a key platform – but how many will go beyond Sukma?

The issue is not confined to football.

In badminton, we are pinning our hopes on injury-hit players like Lee Zii Jia and Goh Jin Wei to deliver at the Thomas-Uber Cup Finals in Horsens, Denmark, from April 24-May 3.

Both have proven quality and, even below their best, may still outperform those behind them. That reflects the worrying state of depth in the sport.

Yet, we will never truly know what we have unless we are willing to take risks by dropping Zii Jia, Jin Wei and giving others a chance.

A young player may get burnt but he or she will also learn, grow, and return stronger only in competition.

Athletics faces a similar dilemma. Mohd Azeem Fahmi is a rare talent, blazing the track in the United States, but is expected to return after completing his studies. What then?

Will he have the competition here to push beyond his limits, or will he plateau without peers to challenge him?

Perhaps remaining in the US offers a better pathway in his bid to emulate or better the likes of Tan Sri M. Jegathesan.

Azeem is still waiting to break the 10-second barrier and make a mark at the Olympic Games.

Then there is national junior girl sprinter Izzatul Musfirah Ahmad Kamal Azira.

The 18-year-old won four gold medals – all in record-breaking fashion, at the Malaysian Schools Sports Council (MSSM) Under-18 championships in 2025, while also excelling academically with straight As in her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia recently.

She has the potential to dominate at Sukma Selangor, but beyond that, the question remains: will she choose sport or education?

If the ecosystem is not right, we risk losing yet another promising talent.

There is a glimmer of hope in cycling, with several young girls beginning to make their mark.

But overall, Malaysia are facing a shortage of standout talents – the kind who not only excel but inspire, like Azizulhasni Awang (cycling), Pandelela Rinong (diving), Shalin Zulkifli (bowling), Nicol David (squash), Lee Chong Wei (badminton), and the 2000 batch of hockey players led by Mirnawan Nawawi.

And let’s not even talk about the legends from the era before them.

They were not just champions but they were voices, icons, and standard-bearers for their sports.

Antonelli’s rapid rise shows that success is never accidental – there is always a formula behind it.

Malaysia must find its own formula and act fast or risk being left behind.

We can’t just be clinging to memories of past greatness, we have to build the next generation.