14 teenage Olympians who will make you feel old

A lifetime of dedication. An obsession in honing one's craft. Years of sacrifice. 

That's what it takes to reach a sport's apex, right?

Well, if the first five days of competition at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games are any indication, the aforementioned prerequisites have been partially debunked.

But these aren't your grandfather's Olympics -- not even your old man's. The Winter Olympics are leading the modernization of international sport with their continued acceptance of new, hip, alternative and fun sports. And with that, the athletes who dominate the Games' marquee are getting younger... while you get older. 

Here's a list of the young athletes competing at Sochi who have us regretting how we spent our youth. 

Julia Lipnitskaia, 15, Russia

The genesis of this list, Lipnitskaia has emerged as one of Russia's biggest stars ahead of her individual showcase. She became the youngest athlete to ever win gold at the Olympics when she clinched the team figure skating title for the host country with her showstopping short program.   

Ayumu Hirano, 15, Japan

With a heat-best score of 92.25 in the men's half pipe qualification run Tuesday, Hirano qualified straight to the competition's final, where he will have a second chance to go head-to-head with American Shaun White. At the Winter X-Games, Hirano placed second behind his American adversary in the same competition. 

Gianina Ernst, 15, Germany 

Ernst, a German ski jumper, turned 15 on New Year's Eve and is the youngest competitor at the 2014 Sochi Games. She will soar at the RusSki Gorki Jumping Center Tuesday as she attempts to qualify for the women's normal hill individual final.

Alina Muller, 15, Switzerland

At 15, Muller is setting herself up for a long career on the Swiss national women's hockey team. In a sport where women play deep into their thirties, we could be writing about Muller on our age-defying list in 2034.

Elizaveta Ukolova, 15, Czech Republic

The Russian-born Ukolova isn't the only 15-year-old who plans to make headlines in Sochi. She will skate in the ladies competition against Lipnitskaia on Feb. 19 and 20. 

Gabrielle Daleman, 16, Canada

Having turned 16 less than a month ago, Daleman isn't the youngest competitor in the ladies figure skating event, but she's the youngest athlete to represent Canada at the Olympics. 

Ty Walker, 16, United States

Having failed to qualify for the final of the women's snowboard slopestyle event, Walker gained some valuable experience in Sochi as she embarks on her promising Olympic career in one of the Games' hottest sports.

Seamus O'Connor, 16, Ireland

An Olympic slopestyle and half-pipe competitor at just 16, the San Diego-born snowboarder represents Ireland internationally in honor of his parent's homeland. O'Connor failed to emerge from the semifinal of both events, but marveled many after landing a triple cork on his final jump of the slopestyle. 

Sara Takanashi, 17, Japan

Since the women's ski jumping event was established on the World Cup circuit in 2011, the 17-year-old has won 19 World Cup titles. She aims to become the first Olympic champion in the competition's history with the event set to make its debut in Sochi on Tuesday. 

Shim Suk-Hee, 17, South Korea

The 2012-13 World Cup winner in the 1500m distance began her quest for an Olympic medal on Monday, qualifying first -- along with her teammates --  in the 3000m relay, and second in the 500m heat. 

Gracie Gold, 18, United States

The American delivered a rousing and confidence-building performance in the ladies free skate portion of the team competition, in which the United States earned a bronze medal. But in the competition within the competition, Gold was defeated by counterpart Lipnitskaia, whom she will receive a second shot at besting in order to truly become golden.

Kaetlyn Osmond, 18, Canada

Osmond, backed by a strong Canadian side, was able to obtain a silver medal and release some obvious jitters -- evidenced by a hard fall -- in her fifth-place showing in her portion of the team event. She has since left Sochi to train in Germany ahead of the individual competition. 

Mikaela Shiffrin, 18, United States

Out of the shadow of an injured Lindsay Vonn and into the limelight, Shiffrin is considered the favorite to win gold in the slalom, and would be the youngest U.S. alpine medalist in the country's history if she can live up to the tall billing. 

Justine Dufour-Lapointe, 19, Canada

The youngest of three Dufour-Lapointe sisters, Justine captured the gold medal in the women's freestyle moguls ahead of her sisters, Chloe and Maxine, on Day 1 of the Games. We reckon the trio from Montreal, Quebec will carry some longevity and serve as the Canadian darlings of Sochi.