Broad’s magic, Olga’s goal and Irish agony: Twelve unforgettable moments of sport in 2023

Independent Sport’s reporters had ringside seats to some extraordinary drama around the globe over the past 12 months

Agony and ecstacy: (from left) Rory McIlroy, Johnny Sexton, Rachel Daly, Carlos Alcaraz and Stuart Broad (Getty)

In a year packed full of unforgettable sporting moments, The Independent’s sports reporters were lucky enough to witness Carlos Alcaraz’s mammoth tussle with Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon men’s singles final, Europe’s feisty win over America at the Ryder Cup in Rome, the Lionesses’ valiant run to the final of the Women’s World Cup, Manchester City’s treble triumph, a Rugby World Cup of multiple nerve-shredding finales in France, and much more.

Here is a look back at our most memorable moments of 2023.

Lionesses tame the Matildas in Sydney

The Lionesses celebrate knocking Australia out of the World Cup (Getty)

Jamie Braidwood: The sound that will stay with me from 2023 was the roar in Stadium Australia when Sam Kerr ran clear against England and smashed a stunning strike over Mary Earps from 30 yards – a euphoric, rising eruption of noise that would have shaken the spine of any opposition.

This was what the Lionesses faced when Kerr equalised in the World Cup semi-final. It was the moment Australia had waited for, the face of their World Cup finally arriving and scoring a wondergoal against the old enemy, a strike befitting the country’s biggest sporting night since Cathy Freeman’s iconic run in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Yet, Sarina Wiegman’s side managed to overturn the gathering momentum of the Matildas and deny the hopes and dreams of a nation. They quelled the comeback and broke Australia’s hearts instead.

The Lionesses may have fallen short of ultimate glory in the final, but this was their performance of the year – a cool, calculated and ruthless display that epitomised England’s resilience and why this team continues to inspire.

Ryder Cup first tee delivers one of sport’s great atmospheres

Fans shield their eyes as Rory McIlroy drives on the first tee at Marco Simone Golf Club (Getty)

Jack Rathborn: The stampede at dusk to secure a coveted place inside Marco Simone’s first-tee amphitheatre illustrated what this biennial tournament means to golf and sporting fans alike. On the first morning, sleep-deprived supporters delivered a thunderclap or two, a roar for Europe’s first pairing, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, before world No1 Scottie Scheffler and Sam Burns received a predictably hostile reception.

It’s hard to forget the contrast between the raucous greeting for the world’s best golfers, the deathly hush seconds before the Ryder Cup began, and the subsequent tee shots sent into the horizon of the Lazio countryside. What unfolded was an unrelenting wave of sensational European golf, textbook leadership from Luke Donald and a mesmerising battle packed with controversy and drama. Rory McIlroy scuffled in a car park and Patrick Cantlay twirled an imaginary hat back at thousands of baying European fans tipping their own after one of the most ridiculous subplots in sport for years.

In a year, heck, a clear era in which men’s golf has taken an unsavoury turn, with Rahm’s defection to LIV Golf the latest twist in an unrelenting, greedy power struggle, Rome delivered a refreshing three-day feast of pure sporting theatre.

Brilliant Broad’s parting gift

Stuart Broad bowed out of cricket in sensational fashion (AFP/Getty)

Sonia Twigg: Stuart Broad’s final farewell became the ultimate fairytale ending. For a player who had always produced his best in Ashes Test matches, there was time for one final moment of magic during the fifth Test at the Oval.

While much has been made of an impromptu bail-switch, it was skill rather than luck that rattled through the Australians on the final day. Broad had already hit his final ball in Test match cricket for six when he claimed a wicket with the final ball to prevent an Australian generation of players from becoming the first to win the urn on English soil since 2001.

The day will go down in the history books but ultimately, it was the culmination of a series that captured the nation’s attention in a way like no other since 2005, and 28,000 people hardly sat down to pay tribute to the bowler who had been a mainstay of the side since 2009. With baby daughter Annabella in hand afterwards and the crowd still singing of his exploits, it was a fitting farewell to an England great.

Formula One shimmers in Las Vegas night

The race cut down the famous Vegas strip (Getty)

Kieran Jackson: While the world title was long wrapped up by Max Verstappen in a season of unparalleled domination, F1’s debut on the Sin City strip was captivating.

It wasn’t all hunky-dory though. Logistical issues and an opening night to forget due to a loose manhole cover and ticket-holders seeing less than 10 minutes of action was embarrassing, but the spectacle was saved by one of the races of the season come Saturday night.

The shot overhead of cars racing around the bright lights at over 200mph was a magnificent sight – and the clearest sign yet of the sport’s astronomical, Netflix-inspired growth, particularly stateside. All fans need now is a title race.

Belgian Bullet shocks the snooker world

Luca Brecel won the world title with an astonishing run (Zac Goodwin/PA)

Lawrence Ostlere: After 17 hard days at the Crucible Theatre, beating three world champions, winning 71 frames and scoring 7,082 points, Luca Brecel potted the red that confirmed his status as champion of the world.

The Belgian turned to the crowd and threw out arms as if to say: “Are you not entertained?” They certainly had been, by a player who never veered from his attacking, entertaining instincts to beat past champions Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan and, finally, Mark Selby. When the BBC ran a “shot of the tournament” competition during the final, four of the 10 candidates were by Brecel.

There was a buzz around the Crucible because this was someone a little different, doing it a little differently. Belgian journalists were scrambled to Sheffield to cover a story taking over their front pages. And fans enjoyed one of the sporting shocks of the year by a mercurial talent who had never before been past the first round in a decade of trying, yet somehow produced one of the all-time great runs to the trophy.

Taylor makes history and brings harmony in Dublin

Alex Pattle: It was a genuine privilege to be present for Katie Taylor’s rematch with Chantelle Cameron in November. It would have been enough that the fight was a modern classic, with Irish icon Taylor winding back the clock to produce one of her greatest performances ever, but the moment was augmented by a rapturous Dublin crowd in a week when the city was at war with itself.

First came the riots, then the resistance, as locals united in the 3Arena to support their hero. They might have even pushed her over the line, as Taylor won a split decision in the same venue where she lost to Cameron in May. With this victory, Taylor avenged her only pro loss and became a two-weight world champion – soundtracked by a near-deafening eruption of noise that I’ll never forget.

The layout of the arena also meant that all the sound was coming straight at the journalists on media row.

Alcaraz ends Djokovic’s Wimbledon reign

An emotional Carlos Alcaraz reacts to his maiden Wimbledon triumph (AP)

Jamie Braidwood: This was sport at its highest pinnacle. Carlos Alcaraz’s titanic five-set victory over Novak Djokovic will be remembered as one the greatest ever Wimbledon finals and among the biggest shocks Centre Court has staged. Alcaraz denied Djokovic a historic eighth Wimbledon title and ripped up the record books, but it was the spellbinding shots and the thrilling rallies across an incredible four hours and 42 minutes that took this final to another level.

Wimbledon found a new hero as a fearless Alcaraz went for Djokovic, committing to the thrilling style that made him such a favourite throughout the Championships. At just 20, Alcaraz played with an infectious spirit of belief and it was special to see how the Spaniard managed to convince the Centre Court crowd that he was capable of beating Djokovic. It was hard not to, given the electricity of Alcaraz’s play: the movement, the drop shots, the forehand winners.

But as well as Alcaraz’s magic, it was absorbing to witness a great champion like Djokovic gradually being overturned. It was the first time he had lost on Centre Court in 10 years and the Serbian was incredibly gracious in defeat. In fact, it was his only grand slam defeat of the year as he finished the season with the US Open title and by thumping Alcaraz at the ATP Finals to reclaim his world No 1 ranking. Yet, on that baking afternoon in July, Alcaraz gave Wimbledon something extraordinary.

Ireland’s 37 phases of agony in World Cup heartbreak

Ireland came up gut-wrenchingly short in their RWC quarter-final (PA)

Luke Baker: In a Rugby World Cup full of drama, the quarter-final between Ireland and New Zealand was perhaps the most thrilling match of all, with the most incredible of finales.

Even watching from the press box, as a neutral journalist with no skin in the game, my nerves were shredded by the final whistle. So you can imagine the tension felt by the tens of thousands of Irish fans who had ensured the Stade de France was awash with green as, well after the clock had passed the 80-minute mark, their heroes desperately went through phase after phase after phase attempting to score the try that would overturn a 28-24 deficit and send them into a first-ever World Cup semi-final. But the All Blacks defence held firm for a ridiculous 37 phases before an exhausted Ireland finally turned the ball over deep in the New Zealand 22 and sunk to their knees in agony.

The context of the game – this Ireland team being different to their predecessors, heading into the tournament as world No 1, seemingly primed to finally end their curse by winning a World Cup knockout match for the first time and starting favourites against the once-mighty All Blacks – heightened the drama. But the end result was the same. On quarter-final weekend, for the eighth time in 10 Rugby World Cups, Ireland headed home defeated after the greatest rugby match I’ve seen live and one of the greatest of all time.

Rodri and Ederson deliver City’s treble-winning moments

Manchester City celebrate with the Champions League trophy (Getty)

Richard Jolly: It was an astonishing save from Ederson, tipping Robin Gosens’s injury-time header over the bar, preventing an Italian comeback. And yet, if there was not the drama contained the only previous time an English club did the treble – Manchester United 24 years earlier – part of Manchester City’s achievement was to make the apparently impossible feel very feasible.

Rodri’s goal against Internazionale in Istanbul completed a 15-year journey; a club that used to be mocked had become feared. The statement performances came against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the quarter-final and semi-final respectively but, after clinching the Premier League and the FA Cup, Pep Guardiola and City made history in the Champions League final.

Dennis wins Formula E title in chaotic season finale

Jake Dennis in action in London as the Formula E season came to a dramatic end (Getty)

Karl Matchett: Not the most high-profile event of the year perhaps, but watching British driver Jake Dennis seal the Formula E world championship title at the London E-Prix was an exciting and chaotic end to what had been a fun and changeable season.

Most of the time, of course, winning a motor race comes as a result of being the best and most skilful driver; on a mad afternoon on that particular finale weekend, though, Dennis took the crown by being less involved in crazy pile-ups and mistakes than the rest of his rivals, including two teammates colliding with each other for another team. The home crowd certainly left happy.

Carmona conquers the world for Spain

Olga Carmona is thrown in the air by her Spanish teammates (AP)

Miguel Delaney: The divinity of Olga Carmona’s World Cup-winning goal was breathtaking to watch live. It was football played to its best, in stark contrast to the fallout which displayed some of the game’s bigger issues. Luis Rubiales reflected a wider issue with football governance, which came to the fore this year.

There is a link between the obnoxious manner in which he behaved and a general problem of democracy and accountability in football. That was summed up by how more tournaments were awarded to single candidates. And yet goals like Carmona’s and games like that final are why we all keep coming back. It’s why the women’s game has exploded.

Smith lands 9-darter in World Darts final

Michael Jones: As the sporting year comes to an end, let me take you back to the very start. January 2023, Alexandra Palace, London.

England’s Michael Smith is trying to win a first World Darts Championship against three-time champion Michael van Gerwen. Smith is down a set in the final, MvG has the honour and steps up to the oche first. Bang, bang, bang, the darts fly into the treble 20, Van Gerwen is on for a nine-darter and piles the pressure on Smith, only for him to respond with a 180 of his own.

The crowd senses the moment as MvG hits two more treble 20s and a treble 19. Smith throws down another 180. Both men are trading blows, MvG misses the double 12, Smith hits it to take the leg. As Wayne Mardle put it on commentary: “That is the most amazing leg of darts you will ever see in your life! I can’t spake!”