You could say that watching live sport is our national sport in Australia. We love to connect as a nation over the victories and losses, the triumphs, tantrums and on-field dramas that only live sport can serve up in real time. The current environment has left us with no new sporting highs and lows to talk about with our friends as the big sporting leagues are postponed.
So we have pulled together our favourite feel-good sporting moments of the past decade. All of the below feature teams and individuals representing Australia on the world stage. Let’s tap into those special memories as we look forward to live sport’s inevitable, glorious return.
5. Dylan Alcott wins the Wimbledon quad singles final in 2019
Paralympian gold medallist Dylan Alcott made the transition from basketball to tennis in 2013 and excelled, winning two Grand slam titles within two years. In July 2019, Alcott beat his doubles partner, the UK’s Andy Lapthorne, in straight sets in the wheelchair quad singles at Wimbledon . It was a remarkable achievement and, as the great man put it himself: the “definition of a dream come true.”
4. The Socceroos win the 2015 Asian Cup in 2015
There’s no feeling quite as sweet as winning in front of your home crowd. Ask the Socceroos who on 31 January 2015 played the Asian Cup Final against against South Korea in front of 76,000 fans at ANZ Stadium in Sydney’s Olympic Park. Australia finished the first half 1-0 up and were heading to victory. But one minute into stoppage time, a thrilling equaliser by South Korea’s Son Heung-min forced the game into extra time. It was in the 105th minute that midfielder James Troisi rallied, smacking the ball gloriously high into the net to seal victory and see Australia crowned champions of Asia.
3. Black Caviar’s emotional retirement in 2013
Black Caviar remains perhaps Australia’s most successful and best-loved racehorse of recent times. She’s been described as the first horse since Phar Lap to capture the heart of the nation. On 13 April 2013, the Thoroughbred mare romped to victory in the 2013 TJ Smith Stakes, securing her 25th consecutive win and 15th group 1 win, which broke the Australian record for the most group 1 wins by a horse. The much-loved champion was brought to Caufield Racecourse the following Saturday where thousands of racegoers made the pilgrimage to give her an emotional farewell. She is now living out a well-earned retirement.
2. Aussies retain The Ashes in England for the first time since 2001 (2019)
One of the greatest sporting rivalries of all time is of course the Ashes Test cricket series between England and Australia. And last year’s series in England came with extra spice. For much of the series, Australian batsman and former captain Steve Smith was consistently booed by home fans – over one year on from the Cape Town ball tampering scandal. But by the end of the series Smith had won back the locals’ respect with a clutch of match-winning performances that earned him redemption and helped his team mates to Australia’s first ashes victory on English soil in 18 years.
1. Australia Winning the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (2020)
We haven’t got to enjoy a lot of sport so far this year, but this moment may have just brought us enough joy to keep us going until our sport starts back up. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final took place on International Women’s Day in front 86,000 fans at the MCG, the largest sporting crowd ever for a women’s sporting event in Australia and the biggest crowd for a women’s cricket match globally. Australia, led by Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, completely dominated India, winning by 85 runs before celebrating in style on stage with none other than Katy Perry performing her hit Firework. It was about as feel good a sporting moment as you can get.