Top 10 sporting moments around the world in 2023

Nole won record 24th Grand Slam title at US Open.

The year 2023 has been filled with extraordinary performances in various sports. Major events like the Australian Open (Tennis), Men’s Hockey World Cup, ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, Wimbledon Championships, the World Athletics Championships, FIFA Women’s World Cup, and the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, and multi-sport events such as the European Games, Asian Games, Pan American Games, and Pacific Games, witnessed remarkable achievements in terms of both individual and team perspective.

Moreover the year was not only significant for groundbreaking firsts and impressive comebacks but also important for the phenomenal performances of legendary figures in different sports. With 2023 drawing to a close and 2024 just around the corner, let’s look back at the top 10 sporting moments around the world in 2023.

Nebraska women’s volleyball match sets world record attendance for a women’s sporting event

On August 30, 2023, a college volleyball match set a new world record by attracting the biggest crowd ever for a women’s sports event. The NCAA match featured the University of Nebraska playing against Omaha at the Lincoln Stadium.

The university reported a remarkable attendance of 92,003 fans, breaking the previous world record held by a UEFA Champions League women’s soccer match in Barcelona with 91,648 spectators. In addition, the volleyball match that coincided with Volleyball Day saw tickets being sold for over $400 on secondary markets, as per ESPN.

Denver Nuggets clinch their first NBA Championship in franchise history

The Denver Nuggets earned their first NBA Championship in the franchise’s history with a 4-1 triumph against the Miami Heat in the five-game finals. They clinched the series with a nail-biting 94-89 victory in Game 5. The Denver Nuggets had a very dominant post season as they achieved a 16-4 record through four rounds of play.

It marked the 14th-best playoff record for an NBA champion in the history of the competition. Nikola Jokić led the team with a remarkable performance of 28 points and 16 rebounds in the final game which earned him the title of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the final. The victory is a historic moment for the Nuggets as the team accomplished their inaugural NBA title since the franchise began in 1967.

Manchester City captures historic treble

Manchester City, one of the Premier League’s leading teams, celebrated an extraordinary year by securing a historic set of victories in 2023. In June, they achieved a treble, winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and, for the first time, the Champions League in Istanbul. This achievement marks only the tenth instance of a European team winning such a treble, placing Manchester City with renowned clubs like Celtic (1967), Ajax (1972), PSV Eindhoven (1988), Manchester United (1999), Barcelona (2009 and 2015), Inter Milan (2010), and Bayern Munich (2013 and 2020).

Pep Guardiola, who has been at the helm of Manchester City since 2016, has successfully guided the club to 14 major trophies. This includes five Premier League championships, two FA Cups, four League Cups, their first Champions League title, and two Community Shields. The Spaniard has also made history by becoming the first manager to win two European trebles, having previously achieved this with Barcelona in 2009 and repeating the feat with Manchester City in 2023.

LeBron James becomes NBA’s all-time highest scorer

Legendary athlete LeBron James has solidified his reputation in the NBA by surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record. The Los Angeles Lakers star achieved this feat on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Scoring 38 points in the match, James reached a total of 38,390 points in the regular season despite the team’s 133-130 defeat.

In the 2023/24 season, the American basketball star crossed the 39,000-point mark in the regular season play and accumulated over 47,000 points, combining both regular season and playoff games. Abdul-Jabbar previously maintained the record with a total of 38,387 points in regular season matches. While Abdul-Jabbar reached his total in 1,560 games, James achieved it in just over 1,400 appearances.

Spain’s maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup win eclipsed by off-field drama

Captain Olga Carmona led Spain to their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup triumph with a decisive goal in the final against England with a nail-biting 1-0 victory. However, the celebration was overshadowed by an incident involving Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Federation. Rubiales faced backlash for inappropriately kissing player Jenni Hermoso without her consent during the trophy presentation ceremony.

This act sparked widespread condemnation and led to Rubiales’ resignation. The FIFA also put Rubiales on suspension and began an investigation into his conduct, while Hermoso filed a legal complaint. In another development, Jorge Vilda, the Spanish team’s coach, was sacked after the World Cup win. Vilda, known to be close to Rubiales, had been criticized since the previous year when 15 players from the Spanish team demanded his resignation over his coaching approach.

Neeraj Chopra conquers the world stage in the men’s javelin throw

In a historic moment for Indian athletics, Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Neeraj Chopra redefined his status as one of the leading athletes in the world, becoming the world champion in the men’s javelin throw at the World Athletics Championships 2023. It was the nation’s second medal and first-ever gold medal in the competition’s history.

Neeraj accomplished this sensational feat with a throw of 88.17 meters in his second attempt which was enough to fetch him the golden medal at the event in Budapest. He continued his winning streak from the Asian Games 2018, as he once again clinched the top spot in the men’s javelin throw at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou.

Track Sensation Noah Lyles captures triple gold at World Athletics Championships 2023

The United States sprinting sensation Noah Lyles had a phenomenal 2023 season as he attained a historic treble at the World Athletics Championships 2023 in Budapest by winning the men’s 100m, 200m, and 4X100m relay events. For his accomplishments in 2023, the 26-year-old athlete was recognized with the World Athletics – Men’s Athlete of the Year in the track category.

The triple-world champion now has his eyes set on the Paris Olympics 2024, aiming to replicate a similar feat at the Olympics. In a recent interview, he has shown his interest in competing in the 4x400m relay event at the upcoming Paris Games, surprising his fans.

Virat Kohli surpasses Sachin Tendulkar for most ODI centuries

Modern-day cricketing legend, Virat Kohli, set another benchmark as he surpassed the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 tons in one-day internationals (ODIs). He did so by achieving his 50th ODI hundred in 106 balls against New Zealand in the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

It took Virat just 279 innings to reach the 50th-century mark against Sachin’s 452 innings for his 49th ton. He was eventually dismissed at 117 runs off 113 deliveries. Besides this, he also bettered Tendulkar’s other record of most runs in a single edition of the World Cup as the Master Blaster had scored 673 runs in the World Cup 2003.

Landmark moment for Major League Soccer with Lionel Messi’s addition at Inter Miami

On July 15, 2023, Inter Miami’s announcement of the signing of seven-time Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup champion, Lionel Messi, took the internet by storm. Two days later on July 17, it marked a new era for Major League Soccer as Messi walked into DRV PNK Stadium in an Inter Miami T-shirt, and shook hands with the president, co-owner, and retired footballer David Beckham and the Mas brothers.

With the arrival of Messi, one of the greatest footballers of all time, the ticket prices involving Inter Miami’s games skyrocketed in such a manner that the athlete’s debut game ticket averaged $487, but went as high as $1,10,000, as reported by tickets reselling website, Vivid Seats. Additionally, Messi’s first away game for Inter Miami’s tickets was sold in just 18 minutes. The iconic soccer player’s contract is set to run through the 2025 Major League Soccer season.

Novak Djokovic clinches 24th Grand Slam Title

The year 2023 witnessed Novak Djokovic, one of the most distinguished tennis players, adding another momentous accomplishment to his long list of achievements. He scripted history as he claimed his 24th Grand Slam title by winning the US Open 2023 by defeating Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York City.

This feat by Djokovic equaled the sensational record of Margaret Court of 24 Grand Slam singles titles in tennis. The record is also the most by any tennis athlete in the sport’s history. He now holds the distinction of winning the highest titles in the Open Era (24), surpassing Serena Williams (23).

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram