The Top 5 Biggest Canadian Sports Moments Of 2023
Canadian athletes had some major accomplishments on the big stage this year.
Canadian athletes had some major moments in 2023, from Hall of Famers playing their final games to new heroes getting their first championships. Let’s take a look at Complex Canada's best Canadian sports moments from this year.
5. Golfer Nick Taylor Wins The Canadian Open
Nick Taylor already has two PGA tour wins under his belt, but this year he accomplished a historic win for the ages. Taylor became the first Canadian since 1954 to win the RBC Canadian Open, the country's biggest PGA tournament.
Taylor would go on to beat Tommy Fleetwood in style on the fourth playoff hole, sinking a 72-eagle putt for the win. It was such a huge moment for Canadian golf, next year's tournament will feature his club-throwing celebration as the official logo.
4. Soccer Legend Christine Sinclair Plays Her Final Game
International football’s all-time leading goal scorer Chrisina Sinclair played her final game on home soil for Canada against Australia. The 40 year old from Burnaby B.C, ended her career with a 1-0 win.
A record setting 48,112 fans were in attendance in Vancouver, the largest for a women’s soccer friendly in Canadian history. For one night only, the stadium was renamed for her in her honour. She'll go down as an inspiration to Canadian soccer players for generations to come.
3. Canada Wins Their First Billie Jean King Cup
Another year of Canadian tennis history being written. Despite being the underdogs of this tournament, the Canadian women’s tennis team—consisting of Heidi El Tabakh, Leylah Fernandez, Rebecca Marino, Eugenie Bouchard, Marina Stakusic and Gabriela Dabrowski—would go on to defeat Spain, Poland, Czechia, and Italy to be crowned world champions.
One year ago the Canadian men’s tennis team won their first Davis Cup, and now one year later, Canada’s women's team is cementing Canada as a global tennis super power.
2. Canada's Men Win The FIBA World Cup Bronze Medal
Canada’s senior men's national team made history this year at the 2023 FIBA men’s basketball world cup, taking home the bronze medal and earning their very first medal on the world cup stage in team history.
Throughout the tournament, the team faced some of basketball’s elite players, including their rivals on team USA in the bronze medal game. Canada would go on to defeat Team USA 127-118 to earn a spot on the podium. The team was stacked, with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Dillon Brooks, and Lu Dort leading the way.
The victory earned Canada a berth in the 2024 Paris Olympics, erasing a 24-year Summer Games drought.
1. Jamal Murray Wins His First NBA Championship With Denver
For the second year in a row, a Canadian is on an NBA Championship team. Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets were crowned the 2023 NBA Champions after defeating the Miami Heat in five games. The Kitchener native and his team entered the playoffs with the best record in the Western Conference, and only lost a total of 3 games in the postseason to be the NBA champs.
This lifelong dream for Murray finally came true after missing the previous season due to an ACL injury that happened in April 2021. Murray is now the ninth Canadian to win an NBA Championship.
