With the Academy Awards fast approaching this weekend, the world’s biggest stars will gather to celebrate the most captivating performances in film.
This year has seen sport make its way into the Oscars conversation with the release of Marty Supreme, a sports drama starring Timothée Chalamet that has attracted high-profile attention during awards season, with the American tipped to win his first Oscar.
However, whilst Hollywood is creating sports stories fit for the big screen, sport regularly produces drama that no scriptwriter could dream of inventing. From heroic triumphs to outstanding comebacks, some performances feel so extraordinary that they deserve a golden statue of their own.
So, here are five sporting moments that we think could easily take home an Oscar this awards season.
Simone Biles’ Return To The Spotlight
Not many sporting comebacks come close to Biles defying all odds in Paris 2024.
After stepping away from the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 following a run of disappointing results, the 28-year-old pulled out of the competition to prioritise her mental health.
Returning to such a global stage was a huge moment for the gymnast, and one that caught the attention of millions of viewers across the world.
However, she didn’t disappoint, and once again dominated the sport as she’d never been away.
Her comeback was more than just a performance and was one that will remain a prominent moment in the Olympic history books.
Leicester City Clench Premier League Title
Who doesn’t love a good underdog story, and this moment in sporting history deserves an Oscar because no one could have predicted this ending in the script.
Leicester City winning the Premier League in the 2015/16 season was like watching an unpredictable scene from a film, with their odds at the start of the season sitting at 5000-1.
They were the outsiders that no one considered, but with Claudio Ranieri leading his men, with players such as Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, they soon charged their way to the top.
A plot twist no one saw coming.
It remains one of the best underdog stories ever seen in sports, and we’re still waiting for the adaptation.
Serena Williams’ Era of Greatness
Over two decades, the grind never stopped for Serena Williams, delivering performance after performance that was more than worthy of the spotlight.
After winning her first US Open in 1999, Williams became one of the most dominant athletes in Tennis history and truly defined what greatness looked like in sport
Her career was filled with unforgettable drama, gripping rivalries and lots of dramatic victories worthy of any award.
Verstappen vs Hamilton’s Blockbuster Rivalry
There is nothing more gripping than an intense title battle that creates one of the best rivalries in sport.
For months, Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton battled for the championship title, in a rivalry that was filled with controversy, tension and disagreements beyond the track.
The young gun and first-time championship contender against the seasoned veteran and seven-time world champion. It was a season that pushed them to their limits and has all on the edge of our seats.
The championship all came down to the final race, with both drivers equal on points. In a dramatic final lap restart, Verstappen overtook Hamilton to claim his first-ever world championship.
It was a finale so controversial that it felt like a true Hollywood moment.
Usain Bolt’s Record-Breaking Sprint
Every movie needs a jaw-dropping scene when the audience realises they’re watching something spectacular.
The 2009 World Athletics Championships in Berlin were a perfect inscription of this moment.
In what felt like the climax of a sporting blockbuster, Bolt pelted out of the blocks at lightning speed in the 100 metres, crossing the finish line in 9.58 seconds, breaking a world record no one thought was humanly possible.
Usain Bolt defied the odds of what was humanly possible, and whilst he’d already grasped the attention of millions at the 2008 Summer Olympics, this was the performance that cemented his legacy.
It was a moment worthy of the final scene in sport’s greatest action film.
These moments had all the standout qualities of an Oscar nominee, packed with drama, tension and unforgettable performances.
Which one of these sporting events do you think would be most deserving of the Oscar?
