We saw Iowa basketball sensation Caitlin Clark become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer among both women and men. We witnessed Olympic gymnast Simone Biles reclaim her crown at the Paris Games and we watched the Los Angeles Dodgers’ newest star, Shohei Ohtani, create a league of his own after amassing 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in one season. (More on that later.)
As we count down the final days of 2024, it’s time to reflect on the athletes that brought fans joy with their superhuman displays of athleticism and awe-inspiring performances.
Here’s five athletes that defined the year, in no particular order:
Caitlin Clark
What didn’t Clark do in 2024? All eyes were on the Iowa superstar as she chased down and surpassed Pete Maravich’s scoring record, becoming the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, male or female. Clark led the Hawkeyes to their second consecutive national championship game, and although the Hawkeyes lost to the South Carolina Gamecocks, her collegiate legacy was already cemented. She left Iowa with the most career points (3,951) and career 3-pointers (548), and it was no surprise that Clark was drafted by the Indiana Fever with the No. 1 overall pick. Clark went on to win Rookie of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, a league-high 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game. She led the Fever to their best record (20-20) and first playoff appearance since 2016.
Simone Biles
Biles didn’t have to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer to cement herself as the GOAT. But after unexpectedly pulling out of several events at the Tokyo Games in 2021 after anxiety brought on “the twisties,” Biles returned to the Olympic stage in dominant form and brought home three gold medals (team, all-around, vault) and a silver (floor), bringing her total number of Olympic medals to 11. More importantly, Biles continued highlighting the importance of mental health, a discussion she helped destigmatize three years ago. Biles shared her journey in Paris in the Netflix docuseries ‘Simone Biles: Rising,’ offering fans a vulnerable and raw look into the mental and physical work she underwent. It was fun watching Biles have fun and her GOAT necklace was as epic as her year.
Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December 2023 and it’s safe to say his first season with the Dodgers had a storybook ending. Ohtani became the first member of the 50-homer, 50-steal club on Sept. 19, when he hit his 49th, 50th and 51st home runs of the season in the Dodgers’ 20-4 victory over the Miami Marlins. He finished the season with a career-high .310 batting average, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, a league-leading 134 runs and 59 stolen bases. Ohtani made his first postseason appearance and went on to win his first World Series championship as the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in five games. He picked up his third MVP award as a cherry on top. Ohtani’s whirlwind year may have left us in awe, but his pet dog Decoy doesn’t appear to be all that impressed.
Scottie Scheffler
Simply put, Scheffler aced 2024. The American golfer won seven PGA Tour titles this year, including a win at the 2024 Masters Tournament, marking his second victoryat Augusta National Golf Club in three years. His arrest by Louisville police at the 2024 PGA Championship dominated headlines, but he didn’t let it derail his year. Scheffler rebounded by picking up another piece of hardware in Paris — an Olympic gold medal. He was named the 2024 PGA Player of the Year for the third consecutive year, becoming the first golfer to do so since Tiger Woods (2005-07). On top of all that, Scheffler welcomed a son in May.
Jannik Sinner
The Italian tennis star started the year on a high note with his first major win at the 2024 Australian Open after being down two-sets-to-love to Daniil Medvedev. He picked up his second major at the 2024 U.S. Open, another hard court surface. Sinner is only the fourth player since 1988 to pull off the hard court double, joining Mats Wilander (1988); Roger Federer (2004, 2006, 2007); and Novak Djokovic (2011, 2015, 2023). It wasn’t clear how Sinner would perform in the U.S. Open after he parted ways with his fitness coach and physiotherapist ahead of the tournament after his involvement in a doping saga made headlines. (The ITA determined Sinner’s ingestion of the anabolic steroid Clostebol ‘was not intentional.’) Sinner closed the year with an ATP Finals win and the No. 1 world ranking.
Honorable Mentions
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman‘s walk-off grand slam in Game 1 of the World Series against the New York Yankees is arguably the best sports moment in 2024. Freeman went on to homer in Game 2, Game 3 and Game 4 of the World Series and was named the World Series MVP.
American swimmer Katie Ledeckywon two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the women’s 1,500- and 800-meter freestyle races, along with a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle and silver in the women’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay. With 14 total medals, Ledecky is the most decorated American woman at the Olympics in any sport and the most decorated woman in swimming of all time.
American track star Noah Lyles did exactly what he set out to do at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Win gold in the 100-meter dash. Although he fell short of completing the coveted sprint double after contracting COVID-19, Lyles still walked away with an Olympic bronze medal in the 200-meter race.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum won an NBA championship and an Olympic gold medal in the same year; just seven other players have accomplished the feat, including a few teammates — Michael Jordan (1992); Scottie Pippen (1992, 1996); LeBron James (2012); Kyrie Irving (2016); Jrue Holiday (2021, 2024); Khris Middleton (2021); and Derrick White (2024).
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.