Many 2024 sports moments left us breathless, but these 10 stood out.
Sports fans were spoiled in 2024. The Paris Olympics alone gave us some of the year’s most exciting, most controversial, and most viral sports stories of the year — and to think that was just a nineteen-day stretch.
But outside of the bubble of this year’s Olympics, the sports world also saw some major highs and lows this year, from huge championship-winning moments to heartbreaking retirements and everything in between. The GAME is running back and taking a look at some of the biggest sports stories of 2024 — here are 10 of them.
Boston Celtics hang up Banner 18
NBA history was made when the Boston Celtics were crowned the Champions of the 2023-24 season, as this marked their 18th title, making them them the most successful team in the entire league. And while celebrating the championship right after their Game 5 victory over the Dallas Mavericks was memorable, the Ring Ceremony in October might have been even more so.
The Ring Ceremony at TD Garden was a truly one-of-a-kind celebration that brought together Celtics players of previous generations, including Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen — a poignant reminder of the kind of company Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the entire cast of Banner 18 now find themselves in.
Nadal and Murray call it quits
Tennis legend Rafael Nadal officially called it quits and announced his retirement from a career that brought him 22 Grand Slam titles, two Olympic gold medals, and four Davis Cup crowns. It was a truly emotional moment for tennis players and fans all over the world.
On top of his titles, the 38-year-old, who fought out epic battles with rivals Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, also won praise for his humility on and off the court.
But Nadal wasn’t the only tennis icon who called it quits this year. Andy Murray, a three-time major winner who famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s Wimbledon champion in 2013, and like Nadal plagued by injuries in recent years, also called time on his career in 2024. However, the 37-year-old ended the year by agreeing to coach Djokovic in 2025.
These two retirements mark the end of an era in the tennis world.
By AFP
Spain taste glory at Euro 2024
England thought football might have been coming home, finally, at the Euro 2024. However, they could not overcome a youthful Spanish side, that lit up an otherwise uninspiring European Championship as they claimed a record fourth Euros title in 2024.
Despite a Nations League triumph in 2023, few counted Spain among the pre-tournament favorites but they emerged worthy winners, beating holders Italy, hosts Germany, 2018 World Cup winners France, and England on their way to glory in Berlin.
Luis de la Fuente’s team was spearheaded by teenager Lamine Yamal, who at 16 became the youngest-ever scorer in the tournament’s history with a sumptuous long-distance curling effort in the semi-final win against France and Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
By AFP
The Caitlin Clark Effect
The term, “The Caitlin Clark effect” started gaining traction earlier this year, during the 2023-24 NCAA Division I season, when Caitlin Clark was pinpointed as the reason for the huge rise of women’s basketball.
Her first three games in the 2024 NCAA tournament alone became the most-viewed women’s college basketball games (not including the Final Four viewership), and throughout the season, her games with the Iowa Hawkeyes gained millions and millions of viewers. In addition, she was also the focal point of the 2024 WNBA draft, where she was selected as the first overall pick before 2.45 million viewers — the most in the WNBA draft’s history.
Her name alone has made a huge impact on the popularity of women’s basketball in the United States, bringing a rise in viewership, ticket sales, and merchandise sales.
Clouds for Sinner and Swiatek despite Slams
We are currently in a changing-of-the-guard tennis era. With two legends, Nadal and Roger Federer enjoying retirement, all eyes turn to the youngsters. Who will replace these big names and become legends in their own right?
Jannik Sinner is one of the youngsters proving his mettle, especially this year. He captured the Australian Open and US Open, became world number one, claimed the ATP Tour Finals, and led Italy to a successful defense of the Davis Cup.
However, the 23-year-old’s immediate future in the sport remains under a cloud in a doping test controversy. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing after traces of the steroid clostebol were found in his system in March, the world anti-doping body WADA is demanding a suspension of one to two years.
Later in November, it was revealed that another promising, young tennis talent, the five-time major winner Iga Swiatek, had accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ).
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted that it was caused by “the contamination of a regulated non-prescription medication (melatonin), manufactured and sold in Poland that the player had been taking for jet lag and sleep issues.”
By AFP
Chepngetich obliterates world marathon record
Ruth Chepngetich of Kenya obliterated the women’s world record by almost two minutes when she won October’s Chicago Marathon in 2:09:56 — an incredibly emotional feat that went viral on social media.
The 30-year-old broke the previous world record of 2:11:53 set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa last year in Berlin. Chepngetich, who also won in Chicago in 2021 and 2022, dedicated her latest victory to Kelvin Kiptum, who set the men’s world record at last year’s race just four months before he died in a car accident at the age of 24.
By AFP
Verstappen joins F1 greats after season turmoil
Max Verstappen became just the sixth man to win four Formula One world titles after a season of drama and controversy for him and his Red Bull team on and off the track.
There was speculation Verstappen could move to Mercedes to replace Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton next year after Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was accused of inappropriate conduct towards a female colleague. In addition, despite dominating the early races of the 2024 season, the Dutch driver later found himself being chased by Lando Norris of McLaren, whose improved pace threatened Red Bull.
However, Verstappen still raced his way to a fourth title, securing his place among the greats of the sport.
By AFP
McLaren wins first constructors championship in this century
Although Verstappen won the 2024 F1 drivers’ championship, the constructors’ title went to McLaren after an incredible rise this season. Their two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, put up a valiant effort this season, putting Verstappen and his Red Bull to the test, and fending off fellow constructors’ title contenders Ferrari throughout the year.
The title race went down to the wire on the final weekend of the season in Abu Dhabi, but with Lando and Oscar’s finish, McLaren was finally crowned constructors’ champions once again. This constructors’ championship marked the British team’s first in 26 years — their last title was won all the way back in 1998.
Mbappe’s dream stalls
Football superstar Kylian Mbappe completed a transfer that had been years in the making when he signed for Real Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain. He was unveiled at the Spanish club’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium in front of 80,000 fans in July and declared that his “dream has come true”.
However, the 25-year-old endured a difficult start to life at his new club, struggling to fit into a team that was Spanish and European champions last season and in which Brazilian star Vinicius Junior was already playing in Mbappe’s favored position on the left of the attack.
Mbappe had a disappointing Euro 2024 with France as he was hampered by a broken nose. In recent months he has been distracted by off-field issues, including a reported investigation into an alleged rape in Sweden and a bitter row with old club PSG over some 55 million euros ($57.3m) in unpaid wages – a legal battle he eventually won. He has also been left out of recent France squads, despite being the captain, amid questions about his state of mind.
By AFP
Baseball history for Ohtani
Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani carved out a historic season that saw him help the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series title.
The 30-year-old also took his second MVP award in a row after also becoming the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.
Ohtani, who signed a record 10-year deal worth $700 million with the Dodgers last December, sparked the team’s run to the World Series crown, beating the Yankees in the best-of-seven final. Could he be the best player in the league right now?
By AFP
Banner images from AFP and Boston Celtics on Instagram.