It’s no lie to say that the coronavirus pandemic has hit sport hard. Last spring, the level of uncertainty around whether or not sport could continue, and then around when it was safe to resume after the various lockdown measures, meant that no one really knew what was going on in the world of sport.

But elite-level sport has eventually found a way to continue through the pandemic, and although there have been numerous challenges, sports fans across the world have been able to revel in their favourite sports as a distraction from the grim news we are seeing and reading about daily.

Indeed, some sports figures have been unfazed by the pandemic, and have continued to excel at the top of their game. For those betting on sports, it’s hard to look past these names when making predictions, as these are the sportspeople in tip-top shape. Let’s have a look at three sports figures who are enjoying unprecedented success right now.

Dustin Johnson

Simply put, Dustin Johnson is the best golfer in the world at the moment. For a while now he has consistently been the World No. 1, but now he is backing up that status with title after title after title. Since golf resumed play after the coronavirus-enforced hiatus, Johnson has won five tournaments, and has demonstrated the value of his cool, understated style on the course.

Of course, the most significant of these wins was the Masters back in November. It proved to be a dominant display from Johnson, as he tore through the competition and won with a comfortable five-shot cushion. We saw a rare display of emotion from Johnson after he sealed that triumph – after all, he had grown up not far from Augusta National and had dreamed of winning the famous Green Jacket from a very young age.

‘DJ’ has not rested on his laurels following that success, and recently claimed another victory at the Saudi International. He could well dominate the game for years to come.

Judd Trump

Over the last two-and-a-half years or so, Judd Trump has become the dominant force in snooker. Prior to that, many had viewed him as an underachiever – that his flair amongst the balls was negated by a poor temperament and an immature persona on and off the table. But since winning the Northern Ireland Open in 2018, beating Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-7 in the final, Trump has gone from strength to strength and become the best player in the world by a considerable distance.

Since that Belfast triumph, Trump has won a further 12 ranking titles, including the World Championship, and also claimed his maiden Masters triumph in 2019. His audacious, attacking style of play has been tempered by a growing wiliness in the safety department, and as a result he has become a veritable winning machine.

He recently proved both his talent and his strength of character to win the German Masters. In the semi-final, a first-to-six encounter, he trailed Barry Hawkins 5-1 before producing an astonishing run of three centuries in a row to get within one, and eventually completing the comeback with a 6-5 victory. He swept Jack Lisowski aside in the final with a 9-2 victory, and earned a fine win made all the more impressive by the fact he missed the Masters earlier in January after testing positive for covid-19. If you want a flavour of Trump’s form, this shot from the win over Hawkins is well worth a watch.

Tom Brady

In terms of median age, Florida ranks as one of the oldest states in the US, and is seen as a retirement destination by many. With that in mind, you can understand the jokes that were made after Tom Brady made the decision to leave his beloved New England Patriots to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. At well over 40, few believed Brady had much left in the tank, but he has since proved that he did not move to Florida to put his feet up and soak in the sun.

Instead, he guided the Bucs to their second Super Bowl triumph, and a magnificent record seventh for him as a quarter-back. After making the play-offs via the wildcard round, Brady made his experience count throughout the postseason, teaming up with fellow ex-Patriots man Rob Gronkowski to upset the odds and win the NFL.

The 31-9 triumph over defending champions the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl was proof of Brady’s talent and cool head under pressure. It was a vintage display, earning him yet another Super Bowl MVP accolade and proving to the world, if it was needed, that he’s not ready to be put out to pasture just yet.