Eighteen-year-old phenoms are supposed to be gifted. They're not supposed to be products of hard work.
Their skills are supposed to be natural, the result of a genetic lottery that we missed out on, one where they just happened to draw the right numbers. When you're that young, there hasn't been enough time for hard work, let alone have that work paid off.
Try selling that to Ellie Carpenter. Two-and-a-half months ago, Carpenter moved across the world to pursue her profession, one she's been dedicating her life to since she was 12 years old.