Paris was at the centre of the sporting world in 2024 as the Olympics and Paralympics put on a show.

After the Covid-enforced delay and restrictions imposed on Tokyo, the French capital embraced its freedoms with an ambitious river-based opening ceremony and venues that made use of the city’s famous sites.

The crowds brought enthusiasm and joie de vivre and were rewarded by a star turn from home hero Leon Marchand, who sped to four gold medals in the pool.

The British Paralympic team finished a clear second in the medal table behind China, while the likes of Keely Hodgkinson, Alex Yee and the rowing team shone at the Olympics, but a gold shortage saw Team GB relegated to seventh.

A few weeks earlier, England’s men came agonisingly close again to a first major trophy since 1966.

They scraped through the rounds at the European Championship in Germany, making it all the way to the final, where they were narrowly beaten 2-1 by Spain.

Despite a major tournament consistency unmatched by any of his predecessors, Gareth Southgate decided the time was right to step down, and German Thomas Tuchel is the man tasked with trying to go one better at the World Cup in 2026.

In the club game, Manchester City hit another milestone with an unprecedented fourth Premier League title in a row, but, despite the boost of Pep Guardiola signing a new deal, they have their work cut out if they are to challenge for a fifth.

Emma Hayes topped the Women’s Super League again with Chelsea before taking up a new challenge across the Atlantic and leading the United States to Olympic gold, while there was another league and cup double in Scotland for Celtic.

An emotional year in men’s tennis saw the departure of two greats and a long-awaited youthful takeover.

Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal both admitted defeat in their battles against their own bodies, with Murray given a tearful send-off at Wimbledon before some trademark never-say-die heroics at the Olympics alongside Dan Evans.

The Olympics was also a key target for Nadal, who fell short of a medal alongside Carlos Alcaraz before deciding to call it a day on home soil in the Davis Cup.

Alcaraz won two more grand slam titles, emulating his hero with a French Open-Wimbledon double, but the player of the season was undoubtedly Jannik Sinner, who won his first two slam trophies and is a clear world number one, although the doping case still hanging over him has left a sour taste.

Novak Djokovic claimed a long-awaited Olympic gold before hiring Murray as coach to set up one of the most anticipated stories of 2025.

There was disappointment for England’s men and women cricketers in their respective T20 World Cups.

The men made a decent defence of their title but were knocked out by India in the semi-finals, while the women were unable to make it out of the group stage.

The standout moment of the year came in the Test arena in October when Joe Root overtook Sir Alastair Cook to become England’s highest Test run-scorer of all time.

Max Verstappen continues to dominate Formula One, although this season he had competition from Britain’s Lando Norris, while in rugby league Wigan achieved a rare quadruple.

The sport also mourned the death of Leeds great Rob Burrow aged just 41 after a heroic battle with motor neurone disease that raised awareness and funds in the fight against the devastating condition.

A new sporting star emerged in the darts world as Luke Littler, then 16, stunningly reached the PDC World Championship final before proving emphatically that it was no fluke with a superb season.

The teenager’s progress will prompt much attention in 2025, while women’s sport will take centre stage with a Rugby World Cup in England, European football championship – where Wales will make their major tournament debut – and cricket World Cup.