Alpine Skiing - FIS Alpine Ski World Cup - Men's Downhill - Kitzbuehel, Austria - January 21, 2023 Liechtenstein's Nico Gauer in action during the Men's Downhill. REUTERS/Lisa Leutner/File photo
(Reuters) - The year was filled with sporting excellence, broken records and newly-crowned champions, and Reuters photographers were present to document every major twist and turn.
In soccer, the Women's World Cup shattered several attendance and viewership records, but Spain's win was overshadowed by a sexism storm that attracted global headlines.
Manchester City won their first-ever Champions League trophy en route to the treble and Napoli lifted their first Serie A title in 33 years.
Novak Djokovic's quest to establish himself as the greatest-ever men's tennis player was the highlight of the tennis season. He won three major titles, although he ultimately lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz. Coco Gauff announced herself as the one to watch in the women's game by winning the U.S. Open in front of adoring home fans.
South Africa lifted their fourth Rugby World Cup to become the most successful team in the tournament's history, while Australia won record-extending titles in the men's and women's Cricket World Cups.
Max Verstappen and Francesco Bagnaia successfully defended their championships in Formula One and MotoGP respectively.
Leaping high, diving neatly and sprinting hard, athletes dazzled at world championships in swimming and athletics, as well as at the Asian Games in Hangzhou and Pan American Games in Santiago.
(Writing by Aadi Nair, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
