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During the festive season, I often find myself feeling reflective, recalling the experiences accumulated throughout the year. And, if I may loosely cite a beloved film, it’s impossible not to feel a similar fondness for the world of sports, isn’t it?
Consequently, I present twelve images — one representing each month — accompanied by brief descriptions, inviting us to commemorate some of the standout sports figures and events of 2025.
January: Philadelphia’s Remarkable Play
Phenomenal running back Saquon Barkley gained 205 rushing yards and scored two extensive touchdowns, notably a 78-yard dash in the fourth quarter, propelling the Philadelphia Eagles to victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the NFL playoffs’ divisional round. Barkley, marking his place as only the ninth player in history to surpass 2,000 regular-season rushing yards, subsequently contributed to Philadelphia’s dominant 40-22 triumph against Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
February: Confrontational Start
Amidst intense Canadian displeasure regarding Trump’s trade dispute, Brandon Hagel ignited national fervor by engaging in a skirmish with American standout Matthew Tkachuk, part of three altercations occurring within the initial nine seconds of a thrilling 4 Nations Face-Off contest in Montreal. Though the U.S. claimed victory in that initial round, Canada retaliated five days subsequent in Boston, with Connor McDavid securing the final win in overtime.
March: The Grand Alexander
Alexander Ovechkin, the celebrated Washington Capitals player, marked a goal against Philadelphia, advancing him nearer to Wayne Gretzky’s career NHL scoring record. Ovechkin then eclipsed ‘the Great One’ by netting his 895th regular-season goal in early April, subsequently achieving the legendary 900-goal benchmark this current season.
April: Augusta Triumph
Rory McIlroy secured a birdie on Augusta’s 18th hole, claiming his inaugural green jacket after a sudden-death playoff victory over Justin Rose, thus achieving a remarkable career Grand Slam. The golfer from Northern Ireland followed this with another heartfelt win in September, contributing to Europe’s successful retention of the Ryder Cup by prevailing against the United States at the challenging Bethpage course in New York City.
May: The Panthers’ Resurgence
Carter Verhaeghe, a forward for the Panthers, rejoiced after scoring the pivotal overtime goal in Game 3 of their second-round playoff contest versus Toronto. Florida initially lagged, two games to nil, but then mounted a comeback, vanquishing the Leafs in seven games, and subsequently overcoming Edmonton in the Stanley Cup final for the second consecutive season.
June: Canadian Court King
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the standout player for the Oklahoma City Thunder, outmaneuvered countryman Andrew Nembhard and the determined Indiana Pacers to secure a seven-game NBA Finals victory, culminating one of basketball’s most exceptional individual campaigns. SGA entered an elite group of only three other players, including Michael Jordan, who have claimed both the regular-season and Finals MVP titles while also leading the league in scoring within the same year. That December, he was also honored with his second Northern Star Award for Canada’s athlete of the year.
July: McIntosh’s Grand Ambition
Having secured three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics and established three world records within five days at this year’s Canadian trials, Summer McIntosh committed herself to an exceptionally challenging objective: to be the sole swimmer, apart from Michael Phelps, to claim five individual gold medals at the world championships. Though she narrowly missed this mark, earning four golds and a bronze in Singapore, her remarkable boldness, prior to her 19th birthday, is undeniably commendable.
August: Victoria’s Victory
Summer McIntosh was not the sole Canadian teenager to achieve a major triumph this year. Victoria Mboko, an eighteen-year-old tennis sensation, stunned the global stage by defeating four Grand Slam titleholders, among them former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka in the championship match, to secure the Canadian Open in Montreal. Mboko, who began 2025 ranked outside the world’s top 300, additionally clinched the Hong Kong Open in November, concluding the year ranked 18th.
September: Rogers Shines
Camryn Rogers, the Canadian hammer thrower, once again demonstrated exceptional skill at the track and field world championships in Tokyo, securing her second consecutive world title, supplementing her Olympic gold from the previous year. Ethan Katzberg, the men’s Olympic champion, also triumphed in his discipline, completing a Canadian hammer-throw dominance. Furthermore, race walker Evan Dunfee earned his maiden world title, 800m specialist Marco Arop claimed a bronze, and Andre De Grasse led his Olympic-winning men’s 4x100m relay squad to a silver medal, trailing only the formidable United States team.
October: Blue Jays’ Bittersweet Run
Indeed, observing the Toronto Blue Jays concede Games 6 and 7 of the World Series to the formidable L.A. Dodgers, allowing an unexpected championship title to elude them, was disheartening. Nevertheless, October was brightened by the presence of the charming Ernie Clement, who shattered the major league record for hits in a single post-season, alongside other Blue Jays playoff standouts such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the promising pitching rookie Trey Yesavage. The anticipation for spring training is immense.
November: Riders’ Glory
Experienced quarterback Trevor Harris lifted the Grey Cup, having guided the Saskatchewan Roughriders to their inaugural championship in a dozen years, marking only the fifth in the franchise’s 115-year existence. Harris, at 39, earned the MVP award for the CFL championship game, delivering 302 passing yards and achieving a Grey Cup record 85.2 percent completion rate.
December: Vonn’s Alpine Reign
Lindsey Vonn, aged forty-one, commemorated her initial triumph since 2018 by winning a women’s downhill event in St. Moritz, Switzerland, thereby becoming the most senior skier to ever clinch an alpine World Cup competition. One year following her return from a five-season break, the record-holder for downhill victories has now achieved a podium finish in five of her previous six races, establishing herself as a prime contender for a gold medal at the upcoming Winter Olympics in Italy this February.
