A is for Atlanta Braves. The nickname is problematic (like most things) in the modern world but the baseball team produced a lovely story. The Braves won their first World Series since 1995, beating the Houston Astros 4-2.
B is for Brady, Tom. He just refuses to go away. The 87-year-old quarterback (possibly "only" 44) moved from the hated New England Patriots to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and promptly beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Enough already.
C is for Covid. In sport, as in all spheres of life, the No1 issue in the world. The postponed Olympics were held in Tokyo, albeit without foreign spectators. Most of the major elite competitions are now back in front of full houses, though a resurgence of the virus and its mutations are playing havoc with leagues as 2022 approaches.
D is for Death, The sports world lost plenty of great ones in 2021. They included baseball great Hank Aaron, pioneering golfer Lee Elder, boxer Marvin Hagler, footballers Jimmy Greaves, Roger Hunt and Ian St John, motorsport giants Sir Frank Williams and Max Mosley, cricketers Alan Davidson and Ted Dexter, and darts behemoth Andy "the Viking" Fordham. Closer to home, both the All Blacks (Waka Nathan) and Silver Ferns (Marg Forsyth) lost beloved figures, Chiefs star Sean Wainui died at 25, and Otago broadcasting titan Iain Gallaway died at 98. Perhaps the death that cast the biggest shadow was that of young cyclist Olivia Podmore.
E is for England, and the Euros. Football was "coming home" as a dynamic young England team roared into the final, only to be undone by Italy. Turned out it was "coming to Rome".
F is for Felix, Allyson. The great American sprinter won her record 10th and 11th medals at the Tokyo Olympics, and continues to advocate for mothers in sport.
G is for Greek Freak. Is LeBron James the best basketballer in the world? Steph Curry? Luka Doncic? Well, the title of NBA champion belongs to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led his Milwaukee Bucks to a 4-2 win over the Phoenix Suns in the finals.
H is for High jump. Qatar’s Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi both cleared 2.37m at the Tokyo Olympics. Custom dictated they go to a jump-off, but the great mates chose the option of sharing a gold medal. This might have been the most divisive sports moment of the year — half thought it was wonderful, half thought it was indicative of a snowflake generation that fails to understand sport is about WINNING.
I is for I win, I win. French boxer Mourad Aliev staged a sit-in protest and screamed this loudly after being disqualified in Tokyo for head-butting his opponent.
J is for Jordan, Will. The shining light in an All Black season that was going reasonably well until a poor finish.
K is for Krystsina Tsimanouskaya. The Belarussian sprinter became a cause celebre at the Olympics. After criticising her coaches for entering her in the 4x400m relay, a distance she had never contested, she was sent home. After going to the Polish embassy, she was granted a humanitarian visa, and it was her coaches who were expelled.
L is for League, Super. Remember when the big European football clubs announced they were forming a new, invite-only, never-get-relegated competition? It was dead within 48 hours. Football is for the fans, and they got a heck of a reminder.
M is for Majors. Novak Djokovic went within a whisker of THE grand slam when he won three of the men’s tennis slams, foiled only by Daniil Medvedev at the US Open. If you predicted Naomi Osaka, Barbora Krejcikova, Ash Barty and Emma Raducanu would win the four women’s slams ... well, you didn’t. In men’s golf, Hideki Matsuyama became the first Japanese player to win a major, and Phil Mickelson became the oldest. Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa were the other winners. Women’s golf produced no fewer than four first-time major winners (Patty Tavatanakit, Yuka Saso, Nelly Korda and Minjee Lee), while Anna Nordqvist won her third.
N is for NPC. It happened, and it was weird.
O is for Osaka. A heck of a year for the polarising tennis star. Won the Australian Open but otherwise seemed thoroughly miserable, first declaring she would refuse to go to press conferences then withdrawing from the French Open. Later threw a tantrum at the US Open then said the sport did not make her happy.
P is for Penrith Panthers. Charged to glory in the NRL, much to the delight of at least one New Zealand fan.
Q is for Quote
"What rain? Bring on the thunder, we're at the Olympics, let's be happy, let's compete safely and peacefully, peace and love, love you guys." — Black Ferns Sevens star Ruby Tui had a memorable interview at the Olympics.
“It’s been a fairytale, really.” — Kiwi jockey James McDonald wins the Melbourne Cup on Verry Elleegant and, yes, that is how you spell the horse’s name.
"Can’t tell with the Gypsy King. I’m magic, I’m like Houdini.” — Tyson Fury is king of heavyweight boxing.
R is for Reaction. Australian swimmer Ariarne Titmus was awesome at the Olympics. But she was almost overshadowed by her coach, Dean Boxall, who went absolutely ballistic in the stands when Titmus beat the great Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle.
S is for Simone Biles. It was the year of mental wellbeing, and the legendary American gymnast became the poster girl when she suffered from "the twisties" in Tokyo.
T is for Tiger. Had a nasty car crash in February and has just returned to action, though says he will never be a regular on the PGA Tour again.
U is for Ultramarathon. The Gansu race in China made headlines in May for the wrong reasons when 21 runners died from hypothermia.
V is for Verstappen, Max. A remarkable Formula 1 season ended in semi-farce but the young Dutchman is the champ.
W is for Why We Kneel, How We Rise. West Indian cricket great turned commentator Michael Holding wrote a book exploring the intersection of race and sport, and it won the coveted William Hill award.
X is for X-Factor. Every single sports A to Z has this for the letter X. Plenty of athletes showed X-Factor this year, perhaps none more so than Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah. Best player in the world, my friends.
Y is for Yachting. Anyone remember the America’s Cup?
Z is for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish football great turned 40 in October and is still banging in goals for AC Milan.
