A look back at sport in 2021
LIKE in other aspects of life, Covid-19 continued to wreak havoc in sport in 2021 but this was the year administrators came up with innovative ways to ensure that on-field entertainment resumed, albeit without spectators for a number of codes. Despite the pandemic there was plenty to keep sports fans excited and here are some highlights:
PROTEAS CRICKET
The South African women’s team will be in the spotlight from March in the new year.
Dane van Niekerk’s group is probably a good place to start in wrapping up 2021 for the Proteas. Amid all mostly bad news in South African cricket this year, the one truly bright spark has been the national women’s team.
The last two years have seen magnificent growth in that team, mixed with achieving levels of consistency that will make them viable contenders for the 50-over World Cup which will be played in New Zealand. Van Niekerk’s side opens their campaign against Bangladesh in Dunedin on March 5 next year.
Unlike other tournaments, where they’ve talked about wanting to win the World Cup, ahead of this one, any talk about lifting the trophy will be genuine.
The South African women’s team is very much the real deal.
On the field, when not getting themselves in a muddle about kneeling or not kneeling, the Proteas men’s side has had a reasonable year. In the Test format, before the Boxing Day Test with India, they’d won four out of six matches, including a 2-0 series win in the West Indies.
In some respects that should have been the foundation for their development, but the players had to wait six months before playing another five-day match.
The focus in 2021 was very much on the T20 format, and going into the World Cup they weren’t among the main contenders for the title. In the end, the outcome was reasonable even though they missed out on a spot in the semi-final.
The new year presents another opportunity for a World Cup, with another T20 tournament in Australia, while in the immediate future the Test series with India, and then a tour to New Zealand in February, will provide the perfect gauge of their growth.
OLYMPICS
It was a great year for South African swimming. Tatjana Schoenmaker headlines the success of Mzansi’s 2021, but there were many other highlights.
First, Schoenmaker’s achievements can fill its own story. Her year ended in Olympic gold and silver, but her build-up was outstanding as well.
She stepped things up even further in getting ready for Tokyo at the SA championships, where she set new national and African records in the 50m (30.42 seconds), 100m (1:05.74) and 200m (2:20.17) breaststroke.
Schoenmaker kicked off her Japan campaign in fine style with an Olympic record of 1:04.82 in the 100m breaststroke, and even though she had to settle for a silver medal in the final in a time of 1:05.22, it prepared her for the 200m.
And the Tuks star gave it everything in the 200m breaststroke final to break the long-standing world record, clocking 2:18.95 – the first woman to go under 2:19.
RUGBY
THE Springboks end 2021 as the No 1 ranked team on the planet – the same position they were in at the begin ning of an extremely difficult season – and what they did over the last five months to achieve that is nothing short of extraordinary.
Having been locked down for 20 months, they went from a standing start to play 13 Tests in 20 weeks, winning eight and losing five, with three of the defeats coming from heart-breaking lastgasp penalties.
In those games, the Boks were leading in the 78th minute only to lose by single-point defeats.
One should also remember that the Boks played almost all of the year without one of their best players, Pieter Steph du Toit, after the 2019 World Player of the Year was injured against the Lions.
In June next year, Wales arrive for a three-Test series and the Boks can begin some genuine evolution as the season normalises and they can do it from a position of strength as the best rugby team in the world.
FORMULA ONE
The rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen made 2021 a year to remember.
Mercedes and Red Bull traded blows throughout the season; starting with the season-opening Bahrain GP, where Verstappen overtook Hamilton in the final moments of the race, only for the 24-year-old to controversially be ordered to give the position back.
There was an explosion of emotion – rage and joy – and confusion but despite any reservations there might be about the final outcome, the aggressive Verstappen is arguably a worthy champion, and deserved the victory.
Equally, Hamilton should have won the title, and up until that moment after winning eight races, had done everything in his power to do so. It was a thrilling season, an exceptional rivalry, and although it might be stained by those last laps in Abu Dhabi, it will be remembered fondly in years to come.
ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
Manchester City sailed to the English Premier League title following a strong run of form in the second half of the 2020/21 season.
The Citizens will again be the favourites to win the title this season.
While Liverpool are putting up a strong fight and look lethal in the final third, the Reds are set to be without Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita due to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament over January and February.
Liverpool will be hit harder than any other side in the Premier League during the Afcon. During this time it is essential that Roberto Firmino, Diogo Jota and Divock Origi come to the party if Jurgen Klopp’s side are to sustain a title challenge. Chelsea also have a strong team but will need to become more consistent in the final third if they want to challenge for the title.
Liverpool, City and Chelsea look destined for the top three but the race for fourth place could be interesting.
The resurgent Arsenal occupy that spot but they could face stiff competition from the likes of Tottenham, Manchester United and West Ham United.