HINCHCLIFFE: Can the impressive Bearman avoid the ‘Sophomore Slump’ in 2026?

In sport there is something called the Sophomore Slump. This is when an athlete in their rookie campaign performs at a high level, and when they return the following year the results don’t match expectations.

This can occur for a variety or reasons. Perhaps the early success gave them a false confidence that negatively affected their preparation.

It could also be that the increased pressure, which comes with a rise in expectations from year to year, breaks them. Maybe it was simply a perfect confluence of factors in that first season that flattered their true ability.