MONDO DUPLANTIS LEON MARCHAND MARCO ODERMATT 20 LILIA VU (US, GOLF) 21 ARDIE SAVEA (NEW ZEALAND, RUGBY) 22 IGA SWIATEK (POLAND, TENNIS) KAYLEE MCKEOWN (AUSTRALIA, SWIMMING)

machine for her country and the Las whispering a name most know: Vegas Aces, in 2023 she was a WNBA “Gretsky”.

13 champion, WNBA Finals MVP and

WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. (JAMAICA, ATHLETICS)

9

Maybe this will be the season where Jackson breaks Flo-Jo’s 200m world record of 21.34secs, Jackson having run 21.41secs at the World Championships in a season where she wasn’t beaten over 200m.

14

(FRANCE, POLE VAULT) Pole vault may not be the top of pops for some, but when you see a 181cm Frenchman flying over 6.23m to set a world outdoor record in Eugene, Oregon, it becomes extremely intoxicating.

15

(FRANCE, SWIMMING)

The Individual Medley is the equivalent of the decathlon in athletics, where the best all-round At age 35, Kohli had his best season swimmer is announced. In 2023, that in several years with only the ODI was Leon Marchand in the 200 and World Cup eluding the “King” Kohli. 400m IMs, the latter breaking the David Warner and AB de Villiers are last remaining Michael Phelps’ world the only players who get near him record.

16 when ranking the best batsman in history over all three forms (Test, ODI and T20).

10

In his own words, 2023 has just (ARGENTINA, SOCCER) about been “the perfect season”, He may no longer rule the big Odermatt winning the Giant Slalom leagues but Messi’s influence and Downhill at the World Cup.

17 remained huge in 2023, such as SAM KERR inspiring cellar dwelling Miami into an (AUSTRALIA, SOCCER) MLS force, plus his national form now Has there ever been a better has him talking about another World natural predator in the women’s Cup. game than the acrobat from Perth 11

who scores goals for fun whether (SPAIN, SOCCER) playing for Chelsea or Australia?

18

The central midfielder who plays for Barcelona had a 2023 that was (SPAIN, GOLF) the stuff of dreams, winning the In the first half of 2023 the Ballon d’Or and the Golden Ball as strongly-built Spaniard dominated the player of the World Cup which world golf, winning four times on the she and Spain won. US PGA tour including the US

12 19

Masters.

(CANADA, ICE HOCKEY) TERENCE ‘BUD’

His numbers on the ice for the CRAWFORD (US, BOXING) Edmonton Oilers had on-lookers Staked his claim as the World’s

VIRAT KOHLI (INDIA, CRICKET) LIONEL MESSI AITANA BONMATI CONNOR MCDAVID SHERICKA JACKSON (SWITZERLAND, ALPINE SKIING) JON RAHM

best pound for pound by destroying Errol Spence jnr, retaining his four welterweight titles. Aged 36, he arguable requires a mega fight to truly his establish his absolute alltime greatness.

Born Lilia Kha-Tu Du Vu, the 25-year-old with the cool name made 2023 her break-out season, winning three LPGA events including two majors in the British Open and Chevron Championship.

The back rower continued a famous All Black tradition of great number 8s by being named the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year after a World Cup where his work rate and skill set were elite.

Not as dominant as her 2022 season but she went 68/11 and ended number one, including the French Open and the WTA Tour Finals.

23

JOEL EMBIID

(US, BASKETBALL)

If you win the MVP award in the NBA then you are doing plenty right. Now Embiid needs to inspire his Philadelphia 76ers to ultimate NBA glory.

24

Named the World Female Swimmer of the Year after setting world records in the 50m and 100m backstroke at the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.

25

FRANCESCO BAGNAIA (ITALY, MOTORSPORT) The Ducati racer won back-toback MotoGP world titles in a dominant season where he had seven race victories and 15 podium results.

26

NOAH LYLES

(US, ATHLETICS)

When Usain Bolt ran 19.19secs