Monday Milestone: Reflection 2012

So this is it. This is the end.

Another year over, and we sit here in the final throes of 2012, waiting for the dawn of a new age. A fresh start. A blank page. Another story yet to be written.

The Milestone wouldn’t be a milestone if we didn’t spend time looking back through the annals of history. Like any calendar year, as we approach the end, it’s easy to reflect on the moments that were significant. 2012 was supposed to be the end of the world. Instead we got a year of Gangnam Style, a year when an Austrian bloke skydived from space, a re-elected Obama for four more years, a year where we learned exactly how many shades of Grey there were, a year where Kate Middleton learned about the extent of zoom photography and a year when James Bond and the Queen ‘jumped out of a plane’ over London to open the Games of the XXX Olympiad.

So as the ball drops in Times Square, and Sydney Harbour Bridge explodes, the Milestone narrows the year down to its top ten moments and wonders which of these was the biggest in Australian sport in 2012. Can you decide which one is the biggest? Or perhaps it is something else. What do you think?

It started in the first week of the new year in January, and set the tone for his entire calendar year. Australia were 3/37 chasing India’s 191 when Michael Clarke strode to the crease and proceeded to finish unbeaten on 329. In a record year for the Australian captain he would break the record for most runs in a calendar year with 1,595 at a Bradmanesque average of 106.33.

Australia’s greatest racehorse, Black Caviar began this year unbeaten. Sixteen in a row was a hugely impressive total. Now it’s 22, and the conquering of Ascot during the Diamond Jubilee becoming the high watermark of great mare’s career, even drawing the attention of the Queen. She remains unbeaten to date with her next race tentatively pencilled in sometime in mid-February.

The 6^thof July 2005 is a lifetime ago in rugby league. The Queensland State of Origin team even without Darren Lockyer has not lost since then. Ricky Stuart’s men could not get closer than they did  this year with arguably questionable decisions in the first match, and a late Cooper Cronk field goal in the final match. The Maroon streak was extending to seven this July.

It was of course an Olympic year. In London,Sally Pearson was under immense pressure lining up on the blocks in July. The usually reliable swimmers had returned a mediocre medal haul, and Australia was performing well below Olympic expectations. So when the Queenslander lunged at the line in 12.35 seconds. It was close. It was tight. But it was gold.  Australia had a new Olympic darling.

Whilst the Milestone can’t leave the Olympics alone, London was host to the Games of the XXX Olympiad, which will always be remembered for Michael Phelps who now stands as a colossus above all Olympians. Phelps has a personal tally of 18 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze, placing him with twice as many gold medals as anyone else in 116 years of the modern Olympic movement.

Also in August, and whilst not necessarily Australian, but the worst fears of the cycling world were confirmed when Lance Armstrong was stripped of seven Tour de France titles after being found guilty of doping and instrumental in covering his deception for many years. Shockwaves ricocheted through Australian cycling circles as others followed.

Come September, you could be forgiven for thinking the world had turned upside down when the Sydney Swans burgled the AFL premiership from Melbourne. At no point did the Swans ever truly believe it was possible until Nick Malceski’s snap in the final moments brought the South Melbourne faithful their second flag in eight seasons…

.. whilst the Melbourne Storm lifted the NRL premiership from Sydney, also winning their grand final by ten points. Amidst whispers of the word ‘redemption’ the Storm ground out Des Hasler’s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to win just their second legitimate premiership, and their fourth grand final victory. Wonder if they high-fived on the Hume Highway as they passed one another?

Into October and for Australian motorcycle enthusiasts it was a sad day when Casey Stoner hung up the helmet at the tender age of 27 with two world titles and 38 victories in an illustrious career. The fact that Stoner was victorious in his final home race of Phillip Island for the sixth consecutive year was icing on the cake. At such a young age, we watch the horizons now for any whispers of comebacks in future years.

It had been seventeen summers. But after 168 Test matches, 77 as captain, 13,378 Test Runs, at an impressive average of 51.85, Ricky Ponting retired from international Test cricket in December. He will be remember as the most prolific Australian run scorer to date with 41 centuries and 62 fifties. Say what you like about him, Ponting was one of the greats.

There has never been more domination in the 68 year history of the Sydney to Hobart than Wild Oats XI. This year, it continued from the opening gun on Boxing Day this year, culminating with a sixth victory down at Constitution Dock in Hobart, in a winning time of one day, eighteen hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds. A special victory for the crew comprised a triple crown of the race record, line honours and also a handicap victory in the 2012 race.

So what have we missed here at the Milestone? What was your favourite moment for the year?

Because that’s pretty much the way the year has ended. Here at the Making the Nut stable, it’s been a tremendous year, and as champagne glasses are raised and fireworks explode here’s to thanking everyone for their support and wishing everyone out there in cyberspace a happy and prosperous 2013.

 

With thanks to Ryan Pierse/Getty Images AsiaPac for the picture