Five child sporting prodigies turned sporting stars

Here we take a look at five other child prodigies who went on to become legends of their game.

1 RORY MCILROY
GOLF

Born on May 4, 1989, Holywood, County Down.

At the age of two he hit a 40-yard drive.

At 16 in 2005 he became the youngest player to win the Irish Amateur Close Championship.

At The Open Championship in 2007, aged 18, he won the Silver Medal as Leading Amateur, finishing tied 42nd.

He turned professional in September 2007 and joined The European Tour as an Affiliate Member.

He went on to win enough money from two events to finish in the top 115 of The Order of Merit and was then the quickest player to achieve the feat.

At the age of 22 and 46 days, he became the youngest European Tour Major winner since The European Tour began by winning the US Open Championship in 2011.

He became the second youngest player to reach World No1 on June 15, 1997 aged 22 years and 305 days, surpassing Tiger Woods.

At the age of 23 years and 191 days he claimed his first Race to Dubai title.

2 MICHAEL OWEN
FOOTBALL

Born on December 14 1979, Chester.

In 1995, he beat Kevin Gallen and Nick Barmbys goalscoring record for England Under 15s.

He signed professional terms with Liverpool in 1996 on his 17th birthday.

Marked his first-team debut on May 6, 1997 with a goal against Wimbledon at Selhurst Park.

On February 11, 1998 he became the youngest England international of the 20th Century in a game against Chile.

On May 27 he became the youngest England goalscorer when he scored the only goal against Morocco.

Coming on as a substitute in the World Cup against Romania on June 22, he scored but England lost 2-1.

Eight days later on June 30 he scores a superb individual goal against Argentina before England crash out of France 98 on penalties.

On December 17, 2001 is named European Footballer of the Year.

3 VENUS & SERENA WILLIAMS
TENNIS

VENUS was born on June 17, 1980 in Lynwood, California, and Serena on September, 26 1981 in Saginaw, Michigan.

As children, tutored by their father Richard, they played for six hours a day with battered rackets and against a wall or on a substandard court.

Venus turned professional in 1994 after romping through the junior standings.

Serena turned profession in 1995. She lost her first professional match to Annie Miller 6-1, 6-1 as a wild card in Quebec, Canada.

In 1997, Venus lost in the first round of Wimbledon, but went on to reach the US Open final on her first appearance at Flushing Meadows, beating Pam Shrivers mark set in 1978.

In 1998, Serena won her first Wimbledon title and went on to US Open mixed doubles succes with Max Mirnyi.

A year later in 1999, after winning her first Grand Slam at the US Open at the age of 17, Serena meets sister Venus in a WTA Tour final, the first sisters to achieve the feat. Played in Miami, Venus emerged victorious.

The pair then go on to become the first sisters in the 20th century to win a grand slam doubles title at US Open.

In 2000, Venus won her first grand slam after beating Lindsay Davenport in the Wimbledon final.

Serena wins French Open in 2002 and becomes world number one for the first time. Meets Venus in Wimbledon last two as they become first sisters to play the final since 1884.

On July 7, 2007, Venus wins her fourth Wimbledon title, beating Marion Bartoli 6-4 6-1.

In 2003, Serena holds all four grand slam titles at same time when after winning the Australian Open against her sister, completing the 'Serena Slam'.

4 MICHAEL PHELPS
SWIMMING

Born June 30, 1985, Baltimore.

After being diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) takes to the pool aged seven.

Made history by qualifying for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, when he was just 15-years-old, becoming youngest member of the US Olympic team since 1932.

Five months after the Olympics, he became the youngest world record holder in history, setting a new record in the 200 metre butterfly at the World Championships in Japan.

Wins eight medals, including six golds, at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, became the first Olympic athlete to win eight gold medals, achieving all in world record time.

Won 19th medal at London Olympics in 2012 making him the most decorated Olympian ever.

5 LEWIS HAMILTON
MOTOR RACING

Born January 7, 1985 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Named Lewis after the US Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis.

First got behind wheel of a go-kart while on a childhood holiday in Spain. Father Anthony then paid 1,000 to buy him his own kart.

First recorded win was at the controls of a radio controlled car aged six in a Blue Peter competition.

At the age of ten, became Britain’s youngest cadet kart champion.

At the Autosport Awards ceremony in London Lewis asked McLaren boss Ron Dennis for his autograph, after which he was apparently told to "phone me in nine years".

Three years later he signed up to the McLaren and Mercedes-Benz Young Drivers Programme and at 13, he became the youngest driver to be contracted to an F1 team.

Confirmed as McLaren driver in 2007.

On March 18, finishes third in debut Grand Prix in Australia.

In April of the same year, he becomes the first driver in history to finish in the podium in his first three races after a second place finish in Bahrain.

On June 10, he wins his first Grand Prix, crossing the line at Montreal after sealing maiden pole.

On October 21, 2007 he loses the title by a point to Kimi Raikkonen in Brazil after a gearbox problem means he can only finish seventh.

He Becomes youngest world champion in F1 history on November 2, 2008 after finishing fifth in the Brazilian Grand Prix.