The most inspiring sports moments of 2019

When Barrett took the mound for the Washington Nationals on Sept. 7, it marked the end of a long and excruciating road back to the majors. It was his first MLB appearance in four years, has he battled back from Tommy John surgery and a broken humerus bone in his pitching arm during rehab. Miraculously, Barrett began a minor league rehab assignment in June 2018, saved 31 games in the minors and then made three appearances this past season as a major leaguer, eventually receiving a World Series ring as part of his resilient return.

Just 10 months after giving birth to her first daughter, Felix returned to track seemingly having not lost a step. In September she won 150-meter run with a time of 17.31, setting up a return to the World Championships. In Qatar, she won her 12^th and 13^th World Championship gold medals, in the process passing Usain Bolt for the most by any athlete in history. She also set a world record in the first-ever mixed gender 4x400 relay, contributing to a time of 3:09:34, with Felix running a 50.4 second split.

Liu proved that age sometimes truly is nothing but a number, as she completed one of the most precocious performances in the history of sports. At just 13 years old, she became the youngest female skater in history to become U.S. national champion. She also became the youngest female skater to land a triple axel, at the U.S. Nationals, as well as the first woman to complete the maneuver three times in U.S. competition.

In a scene that seemed more out of "Rocky" than real life, Andy Ruiz Jr. pulled off one of the most improbable boxing upsets in history. After Jarrell Miller was removed from challenging Anthony Joshua following a third failed drug test, Ruiz substituted in a month before fight night. Despite entering as an 11-1 underdog, Ruiz was the better fighter the entire bout, knocking down Joshua four times before winning via a seventh-round TKO. In the process he claimed the WBA (Super), IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight titles, instantly becoming an overnight sensation in the process.

One of the winningest pitchers in baseball over the last half decade, Carrasco was faced with a much greater challenge than American League batters in 2019. The Cleveland Indians hurler was diagnosed with leukemia in July, an announcement that stunned the MLB world. Miraculously, Carrasco was able to return to the mound by Sept. 1, making 11 appearances over the final month of the season.

Eliud Kipchoge, the world’s greatest distance runner, pulled off a once unthinkable task: running 26.2 miles in under two hours. The then 34-year-old Kenyan completed the marathon distance in a record time of one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds, besting his previous record by three minutes. Although the record will not officially be recognized as a world record because it was not run underneath official open marathon conditions, it is still an astounding feat of previously inconceivable human capability.

No sport produces a Cinderella story quite like college basketball. While the month of March is host to most such situations, a glass slipper came early for Evansville. With Wildcat great Walter McCarty on the sideline coaching the Purple Aces, they stunningly took down No. 1 ranked Kentucky, 67-64, in Lexington in November. Coming into the night, the Wildcats were 39-0 when facing unranked, non-conference foes at home. But for McCarty, who starred on Kentucky’s 1995-96 national championship team, who said you can’t go home again?

It was only right for Ichiro Suzuki to finish his remarkably unique career crossing the same ocean he did when he became one of the biggest sensations in MLB history. The Seattle Mariners opened the 2019 season against the Oakland Athletics at the Tokyo Dome It was an opportunity to not only showcase the MLB in Japan but also to bring the country’s greatest export back to where it all started for him. Between the two countries, Suzuki compiled a record 4,367 hits. And in his final appearance as a professional after a 28-year career, 46,451 of his countrymen and women were there to show him his final in-uniform appreciation.

With six minutes left in the season opener for the Kent State Golden Eagles, freshman Kalin Bennett made his collegiate debut. In that brief time span, he made a minor impact in the score book, posting two points, two rebounds and a block. Yet in the process, he made a much larger impression historically, as he became the first Division I-level scholarship player with autism. The 6-foot-11, 300-pound center instantly became a trailblazer and inspiration in a space that could open doors for many others like himself going forward.

Ohashi’s floor routine, jammed packed with flips, splits and an overall joy that radiated through the over 850,000 retweets it received, was highlight performance of the year. The UCLA senior’s performance earned her a perfect 10 at the 2019 Collegiate Challenge, the fourth of her career. However, it was also the peak moment of a momentous comeback by Ohashi, who had retired from the sport following a string of injuries and mental burnout. Her comeback was a career-capping performance that served as a testament to the type of fortitude perfection requires.

The 2019 NBA postseason was hosting one of the most dominant runs in the career of Kevin Durant, as he averaged 32 points per game over the Golden State Warriors' first 11 games. However, that all came crashing down in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals when Durant strained his right calf. He stunningly returned in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, scoring 11 first quarter points, with the Warriors on the brink of elimination. But in the second quarter he collapsed, suffering a torn Achilles tendon. The Warriors would eventually lose the series, but Durant’s gutsy and selfless effort endures on.

Coco Gauff made a habit of underdog runs through prominent tournaments in 2019, beginning with an upset of Venus Williams in the first round at Wimbledon. She was at it again in May, reaching the third round of the U.S. Open, where she engaged in a tough, 65-minute showdown with world No. 1, Naomi Osaka. Osaka won in two sets, following which the emotions overtook the 15-year-old Gauff, who broke down in tears. Osaka immediately embraced Gauff, giving her words of encouragement and praising her in a shared post-match interview. It was a strong show of sportsmanship and morality between two promising young competitors.

In February Roman Reigns stunned the sports world by announcing his return to the WWE. Five months before, he had blindsided the world by announcing that a recurrence of leukemia he had battled since 2007 was forcing him to retire from professional wrestling. Reigns' return was a heartfelt moment between him and the WWE universe and capped a tear-jerking triumph over cancer for the multi-time world champion.

Simone Biles used the year as a final stamp ensuring her inclusion among the greatest athletes of all time. In October Biles became the most decorated gymnast of all time, winning a fifth all-around World, passing Vitaly Scherbo’s record of 23 world medals and bringing her total medal count to 27. The degree of difficulty at which she has performed skills has already resulted in four being named after her. This assures that Biles’ name will forever be linked to gymnastics.

Sportsmanship on a level that defies purely the sporting arena was showcased during a women’s soccer match in Jordan in October. As Arab Orthodox Club was playing against Shabab al-Ordon Club during the WAFF Women’s Club Championship, the hijab of one of the players began to slip off her head, exposing her hair. This is a strict religious violation within the Muslim faith and caused the Arab Orthodox Club player to immediately sink to the ground to adjust it. Yet, instead of taking advantage of the mismatch situation, players on the opposing club gathered around the woman to give her privacy to adjust the hijab away from the public view.

During the St. Louis Blues' journey to capture the franchise’s first Stanley Cup victory in its 52-year existence, the team was joined by a unique and motivating presence. Eleven-year-old Blues superfan Laila Anderson was diagnosed with a rare immune disease that required extensive treatment and a bone marrow donor. Anderson’s plight struck a chord with the Blues — who made her a part of their extended family during their playoff run — none more so than defenseman Colton Parayko. He helped Anderson hoist the Cup following St. Louis’ Game 7 win in Boston, in addition to presenting her with her own championship ring.

Augusta National Golf Club is where the legend of Tiger Woods has been written in greater detail than anywhere else. The most recent chapter in that saga took place in April when Woods captured his fifth Green Jacket, leaving him one short of tying Jack Nicklaus for the most in history. It was a triumphant win for Woods that marked his first major title in 11 years while he battled a string of health and personal challenges. His one-stroke victory captivated the sporting world in a way that only a "Red Sunday" from Woods can.

The Toronto Raptors were the NBA’s team of destiny, rising from an uncertain start to claiming the franchise’s first NBA championship. After revamping their roster following three consecutive second round exits, they advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time, defeating the two-time defending champion Golden State Warriors. Kawhi Leonard became a national hero in Canada in the process, constantly meeting any and all obstacles that came his way and capturing a second NBA Finals MVP Award in the process.

The U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team authored one of the most dominant runs of the year, setting 24 different records en route to defending its FIFA World Cup championship. However, the impact of the team went far beyond just what the players accomplished on the pitch. Led by Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, the players also fought for equity for women’s sports against their male counterparts, made determined political standpoints and set an unflinching example for young girls looking for sports superstars they could directly identify with.

A year after becoming the first No. 1 seed to ever take a first-round loss, the Virginia Cavaliers produced the biggest turnaround campaign in college basketball history. The Cavaliers were again a top seed, but this time their smothering defense and clutch shooting got the job done, as Tony Bennett’s club captured its first national championship in school history. Overall, the Cavaliers went 35-3 on the year.

After years of falling flat when they were expected to win, the Nationals finally broke through in the postseason when the odds were the highest against them. They captured their first World Series title in defiant fashion, rising from the wild-card play-in game to beat the 106-win Dodgers, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals and then taking the AL-best Houston Astros the distance in the World Series. Washington became the second team ever to emerge from the wild-card game to claim the World Series and first club ever to win only road games in the championship series.