Barcelona, Novak Djokovic and Usain Bolt all feature: The National’s 2015 year of sport review

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As we reflect on a year of incredible sport and sporting achievement, The National’s writers and editors have chosen their sportsperson, team and moment of 2015. Click on the arrows in the bottom right of the photo to move to the next one, or simply swipe if using a mobile device.

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JON TURNER (ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR)

Sportsperson — Novak Djokovic (tennis)

Come on, as if it could be anyone else? The greatest tennis player on the planet took the meaning of ‘domination’ to a whole new level. This year, Djokovic’s record read 82 wins and six losses, resulting in 11 titles, including three of the four majors (Australian and US Opens, and Wimbledon). The Serbian world No 1 won six of the nine Masters 1000 titles, clinched the World Series Finals title, and pocketed a rather nifty $21 million in prize money. Arguably the most remarkable statistic? Djokovic reached the final of EVERY tournament he played in bar one — a quarter-final defeat to Ivo Karlovic in Doha. Unrivalled in tennis and in the wider sports world.

Sports team — USA (women’s football)

The three-time World Cup champions deserve their pick for the World Cup final alone. Taking on a dangerous Japan side at BC Place, Vancouver, the United States steamrolled their opponents in 16 minutes of ruthless football. A Carli Lloyd hat-trick along with a Lauren Holiday strike put the US 4-0 ahead before eventually seeing out the match 5-2. The US proved exactly why they’re the No 1 ranked team in the world.

Moment of the year — Mourinho sacked (football)

I’ll admit, this was a last minute change. Initially I had Valentino Rossi’s shocking kick on Marc Marquez during the Malaysian Grand Prix as my moment for its sheer absurdity. But when the most successful football manager of his generation is sacked seven months after winning the Premier League title, the change was inevitable. Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea in 2013 for his second spell at a club that considered him a god. The first season was spent stabilising the team, the second resulted in a march towards the league title, but the third? Goodness, the capitulation has been so staggering it is still difficult to believe. So, after losing nine of their first 16 games to sit one place above the relegation zone with a squad clearly failing to respond, Mourinho was given his marching orders. The fans stuck by their man but the damage had already been done. The most remarkable downturn in recent memory.

JONATHAN RAYMOND (ONLINE SPORTS EDITOR)

Sportsperson — Serena Williams (tennis)

Perhaps the sheer incomprehensibility of Serena's semi-final loss to Roberta Vinci at the US Open best underscores what kind of season she had. By the time the season's final major rolled around, it felt like the calendar grand slam was simply a fait accompli. We had seen her dig at the Australian Open and dig deep at Roland Garros — it seemed she had passed her most serious tests. Instead she had to settle for another "Serena Slam", but the spectacle she provided — ultimately culminating in her electric quarter-final win over sister Venus — was consistently among the most captivating in world sport this year. Her dominance, her force of will and her level of achievement made her the most compelling sports figure of 2015.

Sports team — Golden State Warriors (basketball)

The revolution in basketball is won. Its standard bearer is Golden State. The Warriors advanced on a new kind of basketball the San Antonio Spurs have been pushing to the game’s forefront and used it to win the most games in a season, including play-offs, since the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls of Michael Jordan. They played with flair and fun — Stephen Curry and Co joyfully winning a title in style and orchestrating the most dominant stretch in nearly 20 years.

Moment of the year — McGregor drops Aldo (mixed martial arts)

It’s hard for sport to produce a truly self-contained moment. There might be the moment of greatness — a goal, say, that summons wonder out of the mundane. There are moments of triumph. Of defeat. Shocking moments. Emotional moments. Rarely in sport can they all be tightly wrapped together in one — and then along comes Conor McGregor, throwing a left to Jose Aldo’s jaw, pouncing on the once-invincible champion and seismically shaking the foundation of his sport. In 13 seconds.

KEVIN JEFFERS (SPORTS OPINION-HAVER)

Sportsperson — Cam Newton (American football)

I lived and worked in Alabama during his dominating, Heisman-winning, national title-winning year in college at Auburn. You’d have thought he was the president, the way locals either idolised or despised him depending on their allegiance. Five years later, he’s finally brought a similar level of excellence — and divisiveness — to his pro career. He’s led the Carolina Panthers to one of the most improbable undefeated runs in NFL history with a cast of skill-position players that it’d be kind to call uninspiring. He’s a one-man offence in a game with 22 players on the field at a time. The best part? He’s an actual personality in the faceless NFL — celebrating at the other team’s expense, smiling ear-to-ear during press conferences, challenging anyone to stop him. All the fun stuff we loved as kids but hate as prickly, know-it-all adults. Sports are supposed to be fun, and Cam is the man.

Sports team — Golden State Warriors (basketball)

Speaking of fun, no team was as must-watch as the Dubs. Raymond already hit on this — and it was cool to sit next to a lifelong fan of a once-downtrodden franchise for the whole ride — but the team is full of likeable, magnetic players that it’s hard to root against. They followed up a dominating NBA title run with a historic 24-0 start to the new season, and there’s no reason Steph Curry and company are slowing down anytime soon. The new dynasty is in the Bay Area.

Moment of the year — American Pharoah wins first Triple Crown since 1978 (horse racing)

I’m 32 and finally lived long enough to see one of those Triple Crowns the guys on TV were always talking about.

PAUL RADLEY — REPORTER

Player — Brendon McCullum (cricket)

Breathed a new attacking verve into international cricket, guided a thrilling New Zealand team to a World Cup final, and stood up for sport’s best values — both on the field and in court.

This bloke could not be more perfect if he was made of chocolate.

Team — New Zealand (rugby union)

Three defeats in four years between claiming back-to-back World Cups. The highest win percentage in professional sport. Dan Carter’s dropped goal. Dan Carter’s right footed conversion. Richie McCaw.

It’s laughable to think any of their rivals thought they stood a chance against the All Blacks, really.

Moment — Thom Evans returns at Dubai Sevens (rugby union)

Over 100,000 passed through the gates at this year’s Dubai Rugby Sevens, but few of those actually witnessed the most uplifting, life-affirming moment of the campaign.

Five years ago, Thom Evans suffered a severe neck injury while playing in a Test match for Scotland against Wales in front of 75,000 people at the Millennium Stadium.

He was nearly paralysed, required two emergency operations to stabilise his spine, and his career was over.

There were perhaps a few hundred idlers on the grassy banks of Pitch 2 in Dubai when he stepped back onto the rugby field for the first time five years on, playing in the International Open at the Sevens.

With his first touch of the ball he beat five defenders and dotted the ball under the posts. He was back.

“I forgot how it felt to put a rugby ball down over the try line,” he said. “I never thought I would play again, so to be back here is a blessing.

STEVE LUCKINGS (SENIOR SPORTS EDITOR)

Player — Ma’a Nonu (rugby union)

The big, brutal, bulldozing back proved he had twinkle toes and a beautiful sidestep as he orchestrated all that was great — and there was plenty of it — in New Zealand’s attacking play as they deservedly won the Rugby World Cup in England. The inside centre shirt was often the brawn to Conrad Smith’s brains in the All Blacks midfield, but showed the elegance of a ballerina in the decisive wins over France, in the quarter-final, and Australia in the final as well as a never-before-seen kicking game. Arguably the greatest player to ever wear a No 12 shirt.

Team — Japan (rugby union)

They say fortune favours the brave, but, as England showed in their decision making in the pool stage against Wales, it doesn’t always pan out like that. Japan rocked the rugby world to its very foundation when they upset the mighty South Africa in their opening pool match at the 2015 Rugby World Cup. Faced with a decision to kick for goal to secure a famous draw or kick for touch, drive for the line and secure an even more famous victory, Japan chose the latter. Until the closing seconds it seemed they might fall agonisingly short, only for their New Zealand-born replacement wing Karne Hesketh to dive over in the corner in the final move of the game to clinch a supposedly impossible triumph. Crazy does not begin to cover it.

Moment — Tyson Fury beats Wladimir Klitschko (boxing)

Nobody, absolutely nobody goes to Germany and beats a Klitschko on points. That was the de-facto argument between me and my colleagues every time the topic of how Tyson Fury could possibly take the WBA, IBF, WBO and IBO belts off of the Ukraine giant who had dominated and bored the division in equal measure for the better part of a decade. “He has to go for the knockout”. But the 27-year-old Englishman proved me and pretty much anyone who has ever cast a casual eye over boxing wrong by dethroning the lacklustre Klitschko to become Britain’s first heavyweight champion since David Haye. By no means a classic; in fact you could say Fury won because he wasn’t the worst fighter in the ring, but his greatest triumph that November night in Dusseldorf was stopping his more lauded opponent firing off his jab. Maybe 10 meaningful punches were thrown throughout, one of them from Klitschko, and, despite a point deduction, Fury won the fight on all three score judges’ scorecards by a wide margin.

JOHN MCAULEY (REPORTER)

Sportsperson — Jordan Spieth (golf)

One of the most impressive seasons in golfing history. Two majors, three other wins, the FedEx Cup title and a PGA Tour single-season record $12m (Dh44m) banked, not to mention the $10m FedEx bonus. And all at age 21. To use Spieth-speak, “wow”.

Team — Al Ahli (football)

Became the second UAE side, and first in a decade, to contest the Asian Champions League final. Went from meekly surrendering their Arabian Gulf League title to almost conquering the continent — a remarkable turnaround. Run to showpiece was drama-filled. Further proof UAE football is on the rise.

Moment — Sepp Blatter billed (football)

The under-fire Fifa bigwig was addressing a conference when Simon Brodkin, the English comedian, interrupted the Swiss’ speech to shower him with banknotes, all in the name of North Korea, apparently. Blatter looked both beleaguered and bewildered. The subsequent picture perfectly encapsulated a torrid year for football’s governing body.

THOMAS WOODS (EDITOR)

Sportsperson – Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic (tennis)

It’s impossible to separate the two. No other major individual sport has been dominated to such an extent by one player and no one person stands out as much in any team sport. Each won three of four grand slams, and while Djokovic had the better year outside of the majors, the fact that Serena played through injury for much of the year is remarkable. A joint award.

Team – Barcelona FC (football)

For overall, consistent brilliance, it is hard to look past Barcelona. They scooped five trophies in 2015 – the Spanish league and cup, the Champions League, European Super Cup and the Club World Cup. Yes, they have resources few teams can match but they are also capable of some delightful football. To stay committed to an ethos and a certain way of playing, while also winning trophies, is laudable.

Moment — Usain Bolt beats Justin Gatlin (athletics)

Rarely is sport boiled down so simply into a battle of good versus bad in the way it was for the final of the 100 metres at athletics’ World Championships in Beijing. On one hand, serial drugs cheat Justin Gatlin who had been setting the fastest times all season. On the other, Usain Bolt, Jamaica’s Mr Charisma, who had barely found form in the run up to the games. The fastest man on two legs suddenly found his run of gold medals threatened – he had won every individual race he started at a major event since 2008. The rules of athletics had given Gatlin another chance and he was the favourite in the final but most of the sporting world crossed its fingers in the hope that Bolt would pull victory out of the bag. He did just that, beating his rival by 0.01 seconds.