The Spectator’s Recap of a Summer of Sports

While school took a break this summer, sports did not! But never fear, The Spectator is here to recap all of the goals scored, championships won, and medals earned this summer. From the Paris Olympics to two of tennis’s premier tournaments, here’s everything you need to know about this summer in sports.

Wimbledon

Arguably the most prestigious tournament in tennis, this iconic tournament delivered thrilling matches and storylines as Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz and Czechian Barbora Krejčíková claimed the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively. Remarkably, despite a knee injury sustained during the French Open that almost kept him from playing, 37-year-old Novak Djokovic made it to his sixth consecutive final, where he was ultimately defeated in straight sets by Alcaraz.

Fellow “Big Four” icon Andy Murray also made headlines at the tournament: the 2024 edition would be the last Wimbledon of his illustrious career. Sadly, Murray didn’t get the fairytale ending he had hoped for, losing in men’s doubles with his brother Jamie Murray, and withdrawing from singles competition and mixed doubles (after much controversy following Emma Raducanu’s withdrawal due to her progress in singles competition).

While the final was undoubtedly underwhelming (Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in straight sets), it was still a tournament to remember, and set up a thrilling rematch in the Olympic men’s tennis final.

Copa America

Defending champions Argentina didn’t mess around in this year’s edition of the Copa America, held in the United States. La Albiceleste secured Lionel Messi’s second Copa and Argentina’s 16th, only furthering both of their legacies. The storyline that captured everyone’s attention, however, was their opponent in their final, Colombia, led by veteran superstar James Rodriguez, who turned back the years and won player of the tournament.

However, in the minutes leading up to the final, fans stormed Hard Rock stadium in Miami, causing the game to be repeatedly pushed back for multiple hours. Disciplinary issues reigned throughout the tournament; in the semifinal between Uruguay and Colombia, fans attacked each other and even players’ families. Many grew concerned over the lack of proper security, raising questions about the security for future tournaments in the US such as the Club World Cup next year and the 2026 World Cup.

Unexpectedly, Americans were left disappointed by their team as they bowed out in the group stage. A loss to Panama following an early red card for Tim Weah damaged hopes, and in their win-or-go-home match against  Uruguay, they silently laid down and accepted defeat against the CONMEBOL giants. USMNT manager Greg Berhalter was fired in the aftermath and replaced with longtime Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino, who had just finished a short stint at Chelsea.

European Championships

In what would be the last Euros for many legends, including Pepe, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Toni Kroos, the tournament certainly lived up to its billing. Georgia made an unexpectedly deep run led by goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili and forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, while defending champions Italy bowed out early to Switzerland.

After a rocky start that drew much criticism toward England manager Gareth Southgate (who stepped down after the tournament), the Three Lions stumbled their way to the final against Spain, thanks to heroics from Jude Bellingham. Spain, however, were much more confident in their road to the final, beating Germany and France en route. Their game against Germany was touted to be a mini-final in itself; Germany and Spain were two of the strongest teams in the group stage, and Germany were favorites as the host nation. Spain prevailed, and ended up taking home the 2024 European Championship in a 2-1 win against England in the final.

Olympic Games

The star of the summer sports lineup, the Olympic Games did not fail to deliver. New stars emerged from all sports, ranging from French swimmer Leon Marchand to American rugby sensation Ilona Maher to Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis (all of whom you can read about in The Spectator’s Olympic Stars article).

As with every Olympics, moments were made that brought much pride to countries. In a time of conflict and tension in Taiwan, the island country defeated China in men’s doubles badminton gold. Botswana and Guatemala both won their first gold medal at the games, and Albania, Cabo Verde, Dominica, Saint Lucia and the Refugee Olympic Team all won their first medal at the games.

At the top of the medal count sat America and China, each with 40 golds (America with 125 total medals and China with 91). America’s viewership of the games broke records, with the games landing a total audience delivery of 30.6 million viewers, 82% more than the Tokyo Games. Despite controversy with the opening ceremony (which mistakenly announced South Korea as North Korea and allegedly depicted the Last Supper), the Olympics were a success and brought attention to athletes who otherwise would have remained unknown.

As we move further into the school year, there’s plenty of sports action to look forward to. Club soccer has returned in all five leagues, the MLB will soon reach its postseason, and NFL kickoff is merely days away. Happy sportswatching to all!