Leaving aside the drama that the World Cup in Qatar has offered us for the moment, both on and off the pitch; it’s time we look back and look back at some of the other most memorable moments of 2022.
From Kamila Valieva’s tears to Chloe Kelly’s iconic celebration, sports fans had an emotionally charged year.
Controversial Winter Olympics
Our journey begins in Beijing, where world records and controversy came together to bring us a Winter Olympic Games we won’t forget for a long time.
The Beijing Olympics, which faced strong criticism from human rights groups, its artificial snow and strict Covid-19 restrictions, divided public opinion but kept fans on the edge of their seats thanks to athletes who were at the peak of their career.
With Johannes Boe leading the way, Norway set a new Winter Olympic record with 16 gold medals, while Dutch speed skating legend Ireen Wüst became one of the few athletes to take top honors in five. Games.
But these Games also saw the fall and triumph of some athletes, such as the redemption of American figure skater Nathan Chen and the meteoric rise of Chinese freestyle skier Eileen Gu; but also the early departure of the alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin and the collapse of the figure skater Kamila Valieva.
Hailed as one of the most talented figure skaters in history, the 16-year-old Russian tested positive for a banned substance but was allowed to continue competing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, citing her young age.
Amid pressure from the media, Valieva failed to make the podium in the individual final and later sat down in tears as winner Anna Shcherbakova received her medal.
The most watched UEFA Women’s EURO in history
From world records in Beijing to attendance records in England, let’s rewind to the Women’s European Championship.
More than 87,000 spectators packed into Wembley to watch England take on Germany in the final, a UEFA record attendance for a match to match.
Just when it looked as if England might once again falter under the intense pressure of expectations, substitute Chloe Kelly came to the rescue.
Eight-time champions Germany had just knocked France out of the tournament and it would become the “toughest test” for the lionesses.
Ella Toone’s sensational shot in the second half seemed enough, but Lina Magull’s equalizer in the 79th minute forced extra time.
Sarina Wiegman’s players appeared to be tired, but solid defending kept the German forwards at bay until Kelly capped off her impressive run at the tournament.
The 24-year-old took off her jersey in celebration, earning her a yellow card, but also a congratulations on Twitter from Brandi Chastain, whose 1999 World Cup-winning celebration became one of the most iconic sports photos. of all time and gave a great boost to this sport.
The end of a tennis era
With Max Verstappen’s second F1 title, the return of Tiger Woods or Annemiek van Vleuten’s dominance in the women’s Tour de France, 2022 has been full of displays of impeccable talent, but it also marked the end of an era. for tennis fans.
After illustrious careers spanning a quarter of a century, it was time for two of the greatest players in the history of the sport to say goodbye.
Before Roger Federer started winning Grand Slam titles in 2003, the men’s record for most majors was 14 held by Pete Sampras. Federer surpassed him, setting a new standard that only Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic could match.
In addition to the 20 Grand Slams, fans will remember the one-handed backhand; and elegance and personality, which made Federer an ambassador of the sport.
Their parting followed that of Serena Williams, champion of 23 Grand Slams, and leaves questions about the future of a sport that the couple transcended for decades.
Serena also owns 14 Grand Slam doubles championships, all won with her older sister Venus, part of a remarkable tale of two sisters from Compton, California who grew up together to rank as high as No. 1 in the world.
