Samurai Japan, led by baseball sensation Shohei Ohtani, and the Hanshin Tigers ended lengthy championship droughts this year, while sumo saw the emergence of a new force and Spain won its first Women’s World Cup.
Here are a few of the highlights from a year of sweet sports victories and more.
Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during a game in August. Ohtani’s prowess on the mound and in the batter’s box earned him a second AL MVP award.
| Kirby Lee – USA TODAY Sports / via Reuters
Kirishima (left) battles Daieisho during the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in Fukuoka on Nov. 24. Kirishima’s emergence as a force highlighted a transition year in sumo as the sport searches for its next star.
| Jiji
South Africa’s Siya Kolisi during the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand on Oct. 28. The Springboks won their second straight title.
| Reuters
Team Spain celebrates with the trophy after winning the Women’s World Cup over England on Aug. 20 in Sydney. The title was a first for Spain. Nadeshiko Japan, meanwhile, lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals despite the efforts of Hinata Miyazawa, who won the Golden Boot after scoring a tournament-high five goals.
| Reuters
Tokyo police raid the dormitory of the Nihon University football team in the capital’s Nakano Ward on Aug. 3. Several players from the team were involved in a drug scandal, leading to the storied club’s disbandment later in the year.
| Jiji
Shingo Kunieda during a news conference on Feb. 7. Kunieda announced his retirement from wheelchair tennis in January after a career that included a record 28 major singles titles and four Paralympic gold medals.
| Jiji
Hanshin Tigers players toss manager Akinobu Okada into the air after the team won its first Japan Series since 1985, at Kyocera Dome Osaka on on Nov. 5
| Kyodo