For a moment during the dark days of March, when four players from the women’s national team appeared on Parliament Hill to testify about mismanagement at Canada Soccer, it looked as though the biggest sports story of the year might be a downbeat one.
But then, a series of historic triumphs: golfer Nick Taylor, breaking Canada’s 69-year drought at the Canadian Open with a gobsmacking 72-foot eagle putt; swimmer Maggie Mac Neil scooping up seven medals, including five gold, at the Pan Am Games in Santiago; the national women’s tennis team winning Canada’s first Billie Jean King Cup. And a bittersweet coda as the country gave thanks to the departing GOAT, Canadian soccer captain Christine Sinclair, wearing the Maple Leaf one last time. Taking in our appreciation, she smiled through her tears.
So did we. Because it was that kind of year.
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High: Canada’s Camryn Rogers celebrates after winning the gold medal in the women’s hammer throw final at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary on Aug. 24.
The Canadian Press
Low: Canadian women’s soccer players (from left) Sophie Schmidt, Janine Beckie, Christine Sinclair, and Quinn prepare to appear before the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage in Ottawa, studying safe sport in Canada, on March 9.
Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
High (except for Blue Bomber fans): Montreal Alouettes quarterback Cody Fajardo celebrates with the Grey Cup in the dressing room after the Alouettes defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to win the 110th Grey Cup, in Hamilton on Nov. 19.
IVAN ALVARADO/Reuters
High: Canada’s Tammara Amanda Thibeault (left) celebrates winning the women’s 75-kilogram boxing gold medal after defeating Panama’s Atheyna Bibeichi Bylon at the Pan American Games in Santiago, Chile on Oct. 27.
Bruce Kluckhohn/The Associated Press
Low: Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is picked off second base in Game 2 of the American League wild-card baseball playoff series against the Minnesota Twins on Oct. 4 in Minneapolis.
Silvia Izquierdo/The Associated Press
High: Canada’s Maggie Mac Neil starts the women’s 50-metre freestyle final at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 24. She would go on to win a total of seven medals at the competition.
High: Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand win the women’s doubles final at the U.S. Open on Sept. 10.
Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
High: (from left) Toronto GM Gina Kingsbury, Billie Jean King, Jocelyn Larocque, and Jayna Hefford during the inaugural Professional Women’s Hockey League draft on Sept 18.
Andrew Lahodynskyj/The Canadian Press
Low: Adam Hadwin is stopped by a security guard while he tries to celebrates with fellow Canadian golfer Nick Taylor, after Taylor won the Canadian Open championship in Toronto on June 11.
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High: Leylah Fernandez celebrates after winning the Billie Jean King Cup Final match between Canada and Italy on Nov. 12, in Seville, Spain.
IVAN ALVARADO/Reuters
High: Canada’s Nyl Yakura and Xingyu Dong celebrate winning their men’s doubles gold-medal match against Brazil at the Pan-Am Games on Oct. 25.
Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press
Low: Canadian players look on as U.S. players celebrate a goal during the third period of the women’s world hockey gold-medal match in Brampton, Ont., on April 16.
George Walker IV/The Associated Press
High: Canadian Connor Bedard puts on a Chicago jersey after being picked by the team during the first round of the NHL draft on June 28 in Nashville.
JENNIFER GAUTHIER/Reuters
High: Christine Sinclair celebrates Canada’s first goal during a friendly match against Australia, her final international game before retiring from the national women’s soccer team, in Vancouver on Dec. 5.
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High: Team Canada celebrates after winning the FIBA Basketball World Cup third-place game against the United States at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines, on Sept. 10.
Simon Houpt