adminmoments in living memory across a multitude of events, from the London Olympics and Paralympics to the Ryder Cup, not forgetting the first male British Grand Slam champion since 1936, an English team winning the Champions League, a superb Test cricket series victory in India and an entertaining Euro 2012.
But somehow Metro has narrowed it down to 10. There may be one or two surprising inclusions and the odd glaring omission.
10) Sebastian Vettel
(Red Bull Racing, F1):
2012 may not have been Vettel’s most dominant season on the F1 circuit, but it did mark his third successive drivers’ world title at the tender age of 25, pipping Fernando Alonso to the crown by just three points.
The German scored more points in the final seven races of the season than the first 13, showing he is as comfortable in the face of adversity as he is leading the pack – something which would have been alien to him prior to 2012.
But his third drivers’ title puts him in prime position to break Michael Schumacher’s record of seven world championships.
9) Oscar Pistorius
(South Africa, athletics):
One of the most famous names at London 2012, Oscar Pistorius broke history this year while taking home three Paralympic medals.
The South African became the first double amputee to compete at an Olympic Games and while he may not have had the result he wanted — coming last in his 400m semi-final — his impact off the track will be felt forever more.
The “Blade Runner” set a precedent for disabled athletes to compete alongside their able-bodied counterparts, taking the IAAF to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to do so.
8) Michael Phelps
(USA, swimming):
If there were rumours prior to 2012 of Michael Phelps being the greatest swimmer of all time, this year put the claim in no doubt whatsoever.
The American took his Olympic gold medal tally to an utterly staggering 18 across three Games, claiming four top spots on the podium in the Aquatics Centre, making Phelps the most successful swimmer of the meet for the third successive Olympics.
The 27-year-old took gold in the 100m butterfly, 200m medley, 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley, alongside two previously unheard of silver medals.
At the end of what would be Phelps’ last Olympic Games, the international swimming federation presented him with an award to recognise his status as the most decorated Olympian of all time.
7) Didier Drogba
(Chelsea, football):
Didier Drogba’s 2012 story was something of a fairytale.
After spending the early part of the year being told by then Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas that the “old guard” at Stamford Bridge should be dismantled and sent on their merry way, he ended the season with two trophies and two more invaluable goals in finals.
Having been sent off in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United, Drogba had some demons to bury and did so in the most dramatic of fashions.
The run to the Allianz Arena aside —which in itself was remarkable — Drogba popped up with a trademark thunderous header in the 88th minute to take the final against Bayern Munich to extra time, before turning from hero to villain as he felled Franck Ribery in the Chelsea box to hand Bayern a penalty.
6) Michael Clarke
(Australia, cricket):
It’s not often we like to praise Australians, especially those donning cricket whites, especially heading into an Ashes year. But captain Michael Clarke is thoroughly deserving of his plaudits.
In November, Clarke hit 230 off 257 balls against South Africa to become the first man to notch up four double centuries in a calendar year – taking the crown off a certain Don Bradman in the process.
And with the summer’s Ashes series fast approaching, English cricket fans just have to hope Clarke has used up all his good form in 2012.
5) Usain Bolt (Jamaica, athletics): Voted the BBC’s Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, Usain Bolt has hit the headlines for a variety of crazy reasons in 2012, not least the continuously insane times he manages to post on the track. But, not content with merely being recognised as the world’s fastest man, Bolt also announced — hopefully in jest – that he would like to sign for Manchester United. Is there no end to this man’s talents?
4) Mo Farah (Team GB, athletics): Mo Farah would hit the sporting year’s top 10 for the “Mobot” if nothing else. But there was something else – two something elses in fact – which might just have aided his cause.
The fact that Farah’s biggest disappointment of 2012 was not making the top three of BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year says a lot for his achievements.
On August 4, the smiley 29-year-old got the nation out of their seats as he claimed Olympic 10 000m gold on “Super Saturday”, but with twins on the way Farah had to ensure he had a medal for each and so took home gold in the 5 000m a week later. As you do.
3) Jessica Ennis
(Team GB, heptathlon):
It looked set to be the great anti-climax of London 2012. Before the Games, Jessica Ennis had been lauded as Team GB’s great gold medal hope, her image adorning posters across the city. She could easily have been set up for a massive fall — but the face of the London Olympics didn’t disappoint.
Not only did she not disappoint, she annihilated all before her to break the British and Commonwealth record and claim gold in the heptathlon and in doing so, broke three personal bests in her seven events.
2) Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky & Team GB, cycling):
There’s little you can say about Bradley Wiggins that hasn’t already been said over the course of 2012. The Tour de France Champion, Olympic gold medallist and BBC Sports Personality of the Year has had a pretty decent 12 months, all things considered.
And if all that isn’t enough, Wiggins can also claim to have the fastest pair of sideburns in history. We’re pretty sure that’s an achievement that will take some years to be usurped.
1) Lionel Messi (Barcelona, football):
Few athletes can say they’ve performed to more-or-less perfection, week-in week-out, for the entirety of 2012. But if one person can, it’s Lionel Messi.The Argentinean breaks a record almost every time he laces his football boots, banging in goals as easily as the rest of us breathe.
Messi took just 16 matches to score 25 league goals for Barcelona this campaign (more than the entire Liverpool squad netted having played a game more) — coming a week after he overtook Gerd Muller’s tally to become the record goalscorer in a calendar year with 86 goals — and counting. — Metro.
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