2023 Top 10 Sports Highlights
Connor Rogers and Chris Simms examine whether Bijan Robinson has the potential to be this season’s Kenneth Walker, a Day 1 or 2 RB who suddenly becomes a key piece of an offense. Also, the sports world is preparing for the start of Formula 1, and cycling is getting ready for Milan-San Remo.
FINA World Championships
This year’s FINA World Championships will see the world’s best athletes face off in a number of exciting events. The competition will feature competitions in the disciplines of swimming, diving, open-water swimming, synchronized swimming, and water polo.
The event was first held in 1973 and is currently held every two years. This edition will be the 19th World Aquatics Championships and will take place in Fukuoka, Japan, from 14-30 July 2023.
World Baseball Classic
The dream matchup everyone wanted before the start of the World Baseball Classic came true Tuesday night. Los Angeles Angels teammates Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani faced off against each other in the semifinals, a game played at LoanDepot Park. Ohtani dominated both at the plate and on the mound for Japan, while Trout ripped an eighth-inning grand slam to lead the USA to victory.
IAAF World Championships
The inaugural IAAF World Championships took place in 1983 in Helsinki and were a huge success. It was a feast of track and field with everything from Linford Christie over 100m to a young Haile Gebrselassie in the 10,000m to Patrik Ilg’s steeplechase win for Germany. The event has seen 35 world records set since its inception and is a must-see for any track and field fan.
FIBA Basketball World Cup (Men)
FIBA’s flagship men’s tournament takes place quadrennially. The event opened to NBA players in 1994, and a host of superstars were crowned, including Shaquille O’Neal, at the tournament’s first edition.
Georgia is set to make their World Cup debut after locking up their spot in the final window of the European Qualifiers. Lebanon, meanwhile, is celebrating its first appearance since 2010. Both teams will be joined by 12 other European teams.
3rd European Games
The European Games is a multi-sport event that is exclusive to athletes from Europe. The first edition was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 2015, and the second in Minsk, Belarus, this year.
The third European Games will take place in Krakow-Malopolska, Poland, from 21 June to 2 July 2023. All Olympic sports at the Games will provide qualification opportunities for Paris 2024.
Invictus Games
The Invictus Games are an international sports competition for wounded, injured, and sick Servicemen and women. The name – inspired by the poem Invictus by William Henley — signifies the unconquered spirit of those who serve their country and highlights what these tenacious men and women can achieve post-injury.
Prince Harry established the Games in 2014 to harness the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation, and generate a wider public awareness and respect for those who serve their country. This year’s event was held in Toronto, Canada.
SXSW
SXSW is the annual conglomeration of film, interactive media, and music festivals that takes place each March in Austin, Texas. 2023 was an unusual year for the event.
ND contributor Laura Stanley reviewed the SXSW show by New York folk-pop duo Overcoats. Who wowed the audience with their dreamy harmonies. She also highlighted a showcase headlined by New York rapper Susu.
Milan-San Remo
The Rugby World Cup only takes place every four years, and it’s one of the biggest sports events to watch. It features teams from all around the world that compete in some of the most brutal sports ever.
Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won this year’s Milan-San Remo after attacking the final climb. The Poggio, and holding off a chasing group of Tadej Pogacar, Wout van Aert, and Filippo Ganna.
Four Hills Tournament
The Four Hills Tournament or Vierschanzentournee is a ski jumping competition that has taken place in Oberstdorf, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Innsbruck, and Bischofshofen in Germany and Austria every year since 1953. PRINOTH is proud to be the official supplier for this event.
Sven Hannawald was the first to achieve a grand slam in the tournament, winning all four events in the same season. Kamil Stoch repeated the feat in 2017-18, and Ryoyu Kobayashi followed suit a year later.