Image Credit: Fifa
2010 was a sporting year that will be remembered for supreme talents fulfilling their potential.
In particular, Spain’s national football team stamped their authority as the best national team in the world, as they overcame The Netherlands 1-0 in the badly-tempered 2010 World Cup final in South Africa. Andres Iniesta’s goal in the second half of injury time won his country their first ever World Cup final and ensured they remained the number one ranked team in the world.
Chelsea won the Premier League despite the title race going to the final day. They beat Wigan 8-0 on the final day to secure the title, ruling Manchester United’s 4-0 win over Stoke irrelevant. Chelsea then won the FA Cup to achieve the double.
Meanwhile, the excellent Manny Pacquiao became the first and to this day only boxer to have won world titles in eight different weight classes as he brutally battered Antonio Margarito for 12 rounds on his way to a wide unanimous decision. Pacquiao exhibited his extraordinary skills against the taller and rangier Margarito to take the vacant WBC light-middleweight title.
The 2010 Winter Olympics were held in Vancouver, as 2,566 athletes from 82 nations competed against each other in a variety of winter sports. The United States finished with the most medals at 37 whilst hosts Canada led the gold medal count. Amy Williams won Great Britain’s only medal by winning gold in the women’s skeleton.
Image Credit- The Telegraph
The New Orleans Saints defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 to win their first ever Super Bowl title. Drew Brees was named Super Bowl MVP as he threw for 288 passing yards and two touchdowns. Just five years after Hurricane Katrina had devastated the city of New Orleans, the historic championship win was greeted with huge jubilation.
Phil Mickelson won his third Masters, in which Tiger Woods returned from his break from golf after a scandalous couple of months. Graeme McDowell won the US Open as the first European for 40 years to achieve the feat as well as the first Northern Irishman.
Image Credit- The New York Times
So it was indeed a great year for sport, with some of the most talented sportsmen and sportswomen giving us an exciting year of thrills and spills.