Over the past year, a fresh surge of European talent has emerged at remarkably young ages, ascending to the pinnacle of their respective sports. Leading this cohort is British racing driver Jamie Chadwick, who, at just 24, has clinched all three female W Series championships, secured victory in a BRDC British Formula 3 race, and triumphed as the first female winner in a British GT Championship. Additionally, Chadwick made history by signing with Andretti Autosport to compete full-time in the male-dominated Indy NXT Championship, harboring ambitions to become the first woman in Formula One since the 1970s.
Chadwick spearheads the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Sports & Games class of 2023, featuring outstanding young athletes, developers, and entrepreneurs in the realms of sports and gaming. The selection process involved scrutiny of hundreds of nominations, combining public submissions and insights from industry experts. The final list includes 12 athletes, nine entrepreneur duos, four game developers, three sports business professionals, and two esports athletes, illustrating the diversity of the sectors. Among the nominees, 13 are women, and 13 identify as persons of color.
This year’s youngest inclusion is 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, concluding 2022 as the youngest male tennis player to finish the year ranked No. 1 globally. Erling Haaland, 22, stands out as the highest-earning member, leading the Premier League in scoring and attracting significant endorsements. Notably, 28-year-old Serbian Nikola Jokic, a back-to-back NBA MVP, and Alexia Putellas, 29, with a stellar year in women’s soccer, also feature prominently.
The gaming domain showcases talents like Chloe Kwok, Ellen Shelley, and Caroline Bitterly, contributing to a diverse studio production pipeline. Esports figures Alexandre “Kaydop” Courant and Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom, known for their achievements in “Rocket League” and “Counter-Strike” respectively, add to the list.
Entrepreneurial innovators such as Daniel Olmedo, Flavia Mazzanti, and the Beyond Creative trio – Kasper Weber, Liam McMahon, and Thomas Hall – bring forth groundbreaking initiatives in cloud gaming, VR gaming for the visually impaired, and branded experiences in the “Fortnite” metaverse, respectively.