With the calendar about to tick over to 2014, we’ve scoured the memory banks to bring you the moments we believe were the most memorable of the past sporting year. Our criteria was simple. For starters, it had to be something that happened on the field, so although there were some huge news stories throughout the course of 2013 such as Lance Armstrong’s doping admission and the retirements of legendary figures Sir Alex Ferguson and Sachin Tendulkar, they didn’t make the cut.
Instead we’ve focused on those moments that made the crowds go “wow”, moments that will still have people talking in 10, even 20, years’ time. So here are WGM’s top sporting moments of 2013!
The great America’s Cup comeback
The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy, having originally been awarded in 1851, but sailing isn’t a sport which has typically attracted the attention of the world – until now. The 2013 America’s Cup saw the United States’ team Oracle facing a red hot challenge from Team New Zealand and when the Kiwis raced to an 8-1 lead in the “first to nine” format it appeared it was all over for the defending champions. But, incredibly, Oracle embarked on a memorable 8-0 run to score an unlikely 9-8 victory.
Ray Allen’s 3-pointer
It was Game 6 of the NBA Finals with reigning champions Miami trailing 3 games to 2 and down by three points in this must-win clash against a rampant San Antonio outfit. With the clock counting down, LeBron James launched a 3-point attempt which rimmed out but Chris Bosh jumped highest to grab the rebound and dish out to Allen who sunk the clutch 3 with just five seconds remaining. As the history books show, the Heat went on to win Game 6 in overtime and then claimed back to back championships by winning Game 7 too.
Andy Murray wins Wimbledon
It seemed as if Britain’s Wimbledon pain was going to last forever. Having not produced a men’s singles champion at the world’s most prestigious tournament in 77 years, all eyes were on Andy Murray as he took the court in the final against Novak Djokovic but it’s fair to say the local fans feared the worst. For years they had followed Tim Henman’s annual campaign without reward, and they had witnessed Murray’s tears 12 months earlier after falling to Roger Federer. This time, though, Murray wasn’t to be denied as he roared to a stunning straight sets win over Djokovic to finally put the demons to rest.
Australia reclaims cricket’s Ashes
It wasn’t so much the fact that Australia reclaimed the Ashes in 2013 – the famous urn at the centre of the historic battle between Australia and England is always going to change hands every now and then – but the manner in which they did so. Australia was humiliated 4-0 in India in mid-2013 and then lost 3-0 to the Poms in their first Ashes series of the year a month later. But with a new coach on board and a growing confidence, they came out on home soil looking like a totally different team. Rejuvenated fast bowler Mitchell Johnson literally had the English batsman running scared in the first Test in Brisbane, which Australia won by a massive 381 runs. Similarly crushing wins in Adelaide and Perth had the tourists stunned. The number one Test side in the world not so long ago, the magnitude of Australia’s wins proved too much for the English with batsman Jonathan Trott heading home after the first Test due to stress and spinner Graeme Swann announcing his immediate retirement after the third Test.
Boston Red Sox
It was as if it was meant to be. Just six months after Boston suffered through the horror of the Boston Marathon bombings, their beloved Red Sox celebrated perhaps their most memorable World Series win of all time as they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals. Despite winning the World Series in 2004 to end an 86-year drought and again in 2007, this was the first time they had done so at Fenway Park since 1918. Athletes often talk about doing it for the fans – some mean it more than others – but in this case the emotion on the faces of the players was clear and they knew exactly what their success meant to the people of Boston.
German resurrection
It looked like the incredible skill of Spain’s La Liga and the pure excitement of the English Premier League had left the once powerful Germans in their wake, but that all changed in 2013 as German football rose from the ashes. With all eyes on the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United and Chelsea, it was the two German giants in Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund who stormed through to the final in stunning fashion. Most surprising was the ease with which each brushed aside top quality opponents in the semi-finals, with Dortmund leading Real 4-1 after the first leg before easing home 4-3 and Bayern belting Barcelona 7-0 on aggregate! It was Bayern who would prevail 2-1 in the final and they capped that off by winning the Club World Cup in December.
Phil Mickelson’s British Open triumph
It wasn’t just his brilliant final round to claim victory at a tournament many said he would never win that made his British Open success so memorable. Just a few weeks earlier, Phil Mickelson had looked certain to claim the 2013 US Open but a disastrous final round saw him having to settle for second for the sixth time in his career. Such was the manner of that collapse, many wondered if he would ever recover. Incredibly, he did so immediately by shooting 66, including four birdies over the final six holes, to win the British Open crown.
The redemption of Luis Suarez
No figure in world sport polarized opinions like Luis Suarez in 2013. Likewise, none could have predicted the events of late 2013 during a tough summer in which it appeared the Uruguayan was certain to leave Liverpool for Real Madrid. Having been suspended in 2011 following a racial slur made against Manchester United’s Patrice Evra, then suspended again in 2013 for biting Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic, he was angered when the Reds refused to let him leave and most predicted his heart wouldn’t be in it when he returned from suspension five games into the 2013/14 season. Instead, he quickly rocketed to the top of the scoring charts with a series of truly memorable goals that have also helped Liverpool return to the top of the EPL ladder for the first time in years. And, as if to round off his transformation, he recently signed a new long-term deal which will keep him at Anfield until 2018. Nobody saw that one coming!
