2002 in sports

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2002 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.

Alpine skiing

Alpine Skiing World Cup
- Women's overall season champion: Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria

American football

Super Bowl XXXVI – the New England Patriots (AFC) won 20–17 over the heavily favored St. Louis Rams (NFC)
- Location: Superdome
- Attendance: 72,922
- MVP: Tom Brady, QB (New England)
Rose Bowl (2001 season):
- The Miami Hurricanes won 37–14 over the Nebraska Cornhuskers to win the college football national championship
ArenaBowl XVI – San Jose SaberCats win 52–14 over the Arizona Rattlers
The Houston Texans become the NFL's 32nd active franchise.

Association football

2002 FIFA World Cup is held from May 31 to June 30 in South Korea and Japan, the first time a World Cup is held in Asia and by two countries simultaneously. Brazil wins its fifth title, defeating Germany 2–0 in the final. Surprisingly, Turkey and host nation South Korea take 3rd and 4th.
Champions' League – Real Madrid beats Bayer Leverkusen 2–1 in the final. This was Real Madrid's 9th European Cup.
UEFA Cup – Feyenoord wins 3–2 in the final against Borussia Dortmund, winning the cup for the second time.
European Super Cup – Real Madrid wins 3–1 over Feyenoord, winning the cup for the first time.
Intercontinental Cup – Real Madrid beats Olimpia Asunción 2–0, winning the cup for the third time.

Athletics

July – 2002 Commonwealth Games held in Manchester
August – 2002 European Championships in Athletics held in Munich
October – 2002 Asian Games held in Busan, South Korea

Australian rules football

Australian Football League
- The Brisbane Lions win the 106th AFL premiership (Brisbane Lions 10.15 (75) d Collingwood 9.12 (66))
- Brownlow Medal awarded to Simon Black (Brisbane Lions)
- See also Australian Football League season 2002
Inaugural Australian Football International Cup, the 2002 International Cup won by Ireland

Baseball

World Series – Anaheim Angels win 4 games to 3 over the San Francisco Giants

Basketball

NBA Finals –
- Los Angeles Lakers sweep the New Jersey Nets to win their third straight NBA title. Shaquille O'Neal wins his third straight NBA Finals MVP award, and coach Phil Jackson wins his ninth title, and his third three-peat.
- NBA's Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans.
NCAA Men's Basketball Championship –
- Maryland Terrapins win 64–52 over the Indiana Hoosiers
WNBA finals
- Los Angeles Sparks win 2 games to 0 over the New York Liberty
FIBA World Championship won by Yugoslavia
FIBA World Championship for Women won by USA
Chinese Basketball Association finals:
- Yao Ming and his Shanghai Sharks teammates defeat Bayi Rockets, 3 games to 1, snapping a string of six consecutive Bayi championships.
National Basketball League (Australia) Finals:
- Adelaide 36ers defeated the West Sydney Razorbacks 2–1 in the best-of-three final series.
October 5 – University Athletic Association of the Philippines men's division finals: The Ateneo Blue Eagles defeat the De La Salle Green Archers to end their 4-year title streak and win the school their first title in 14 years.

Boxing

June 21 – Lennox Lewis retains boxing's WBC world Heavyweight crown with an eight-round knockout over Mike Tyson
April – The Ring Magazine released its new championship policy, "The Ring's Championship Policy"
July 12 to July 21 – 34th European Amateur Boxing Championships held in Perm, Russia

Canadian football

November 23 – Saint Mary's Huskies win the Vanier Cup game, defeating the Saskatchewan Huskies 39–23.
November 24 – the Montreal Alouettes win the 90th Grey Cup game, defeating the Edmonton Eskimos 25–16 at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.

Cricket

March 23 – death of Ben Hollioake, Surrey and England player, in a car crash
June 1 – death of Hansie Cronje, South African player still involved in match-fixing controversy, in an air crash
New Zealand are forced to abandon their tour of Pakistan after a bomb explodes outside their hotel in Karachi
County Championship (England and Wales) – Surrey CCC

Cycle racing

Road bicycle racing

Giro d'Italia won by Paolo Savoldelli of Italy
Tour de France – Lance Armstrong of the United States (Rescinded)
UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Mario Cipollini, of Italy

Cyclo-cross

2–3 February – UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships held in Zolder, Belgium
- men's competition won by Mario De Clercq
- women's competition won by Laurence Leboucher

Dogsled racing

Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion
- Martin Buser wins with lead dog Bronson

Field hockey

2002 Men's Hockey World Cup: Germany
2002 Women's Hockey World Cup: Argentina
Men's Hockey at the 2002 Commonwealth Games: Australia
Hockey at the 2002 Commonwealth Games – Women's tournament: India
Men's Champions Trophy: Netherlands
Women's Champions Trophy: China

Figure skating

World Figure Skating Championships –
- Men's champion: Alexei Yagudin, Russia
- Ladies' champion: Irina Slutskaya, Russia
- Pair skating champions: Shen Xue & Zhao Hongbo, China
- Ice dancing champions: Irina Lobacheva & Ilia Averbukh, Russia
2002 Winter Olympics –
- Men's champion: Alexei Yagudin, Russia
- Ladies' champion: Sarah Hughes, United States
- Pair skating champions: Yelena Berezhnaya & Anton Sikharulidze, Russia and Jamie Salé & David Pelletier, Canada
- Ice dancing champions: Marina Anissina & Gwendal Peizerat, France

Floorball

Men's World Floorball Championships
- Champion: Sweden
European Cup
- Men's champion: Haninge IBK
- Women's champion: Balrog IK

Gaelic Athletic Association

Camogie
- All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Cork
- National Camogie League: Galway
Gaelic football
- All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Armagh 1-12 died Kerry 0–14
- National Football League – Tyrone 0-15 died Cavan 0–7
Ladies' Gaelic football
- All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Mayo
- National Football League: Waterford
Hurling
- All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Kilkenny 2-20 died Clare 0–19
- National Hurling League – Kilkenny 2–15 beat Cork 2–14

Golf

Men's professional

– Masters Tournament – Tiger Woods becomes the third golfer to win The Masters in two consecutive years
– U.S. Open – Tiger Woods is the only golfer under par for the tournament.
– British Open – Ernie Els wins his third major and first British Open.
– PGA Championship – Rich Beem wins by one shot over Tiger Woods.
PGA Tour money leader – Tiger Woods – $6,912,625
PGA Tour Player of the Year – Tiger Woods
PGA Tour rookie of the year – Jonathan Byrd
Senior PGA Tour money leader – Hale Irwin – $3,028,304
Ryder Cup – Europe defeats the United States 15.5-12.5.

Men's amateur

British Amateur – Alejandro Larrazabal
U.S. Amateur – Ricky Barnes
European Amateur – Raphaël Pellicioli

Women's professional

Nabisco Championship – Annika Sörenstam
LPGA Championship – Se Ri Pak
U.S. Women's Open – Juli Inkster
Women's British Open – Karrie Webb
LPGA Tour money leader – Annika Sörenstam – $2,863,904
LPGA Tour Player of the Year – Annika Sörenstam
The United States team defeats the European team 15 ½ – 12 ½ to regain the Solheim Cup.

Handball

Harness racing

North America Cup – Red River Hanover
United States Pacing Triple Crown races –
1. Cane Pace won by Art Major
2. Little Brown Jug won by Million Dollar Cam
3. Messenger Stakes won by Allamerican Ingot
United States Trotting Triple Crown races –
1. Hambletonian won by Chip Chip Hooray
2. Yonkers Trot won by Bubba Dunn
3. Kentucky Futurity won by Like a Prayer

Horse racing

Steeplechases

Cheltenham Gold Cup – Best Mate
Grand National – Bindaree

Hurdle races

Champion Hurdle – Hors La Loi III

Flat races

Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Media Puzzle
Canada – Queen's Plate won by T J's Lucky Moon
Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Street Cry
France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Marienbard
Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by High Chaparral
Japan – Japan Cup won by Falbrav
English Triple Crown Races:
1. 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Rock of Gibraltar
2. The Derby – High Chaparral<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
3. St. Leger Stakes – Bollin Eric
United States Triple Crown Races:
1. Kentucky Derby – War Emblem
2. Preakness Stakes – War Emblem
3. Belmont Stakes – Sarava
Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships:
1. Breeders' Cup Classic – Volponi
2. Breeders' Cup Distaff – Azeri
3. Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Starine
4. Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Vindication
5. Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Storm Flag Flying
6. Breeders' Cup Mile – Domedriver
7. Breeders' Cup Sprint – Orientate
8. Breeders' Cup Turf – High Chaparral

Ice hockey

Canada defeats the United States 5–2 to win the men's Olympic Gold Medal.
Canada defeats the United States 3–2 to win the women's Olympic Gold Medal.
World Hockey Championship
- Men's champion: Slovakia defeats Russia.
- Junior Men's champion: Russia defeats Canada.
- Women's champion: no tournament.
Stanley Cup – Detroit Red Wings win 4 games to 1 over the Carolina Hurricanes.
Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer during the regular season: Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames.
Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL's Most Valuable Player:
- José Théodore, Montreal Canadiens.

Lacrosse

The Baltimore Bayhawks win the Steinfeld Cup over the Long Island Lizards.
The Toronto Rock beat the Albany Attack, 13–12 to win the Champion's Cup.
The 9th World Lacrosse Championship is held in Perth, Australia. The United States beat Canada 18–15 in the final.
The Coquitlam Adanacs win the Mann Cup.
The St. Catharines Athletics win the Minto Cup.
The Wallaceburg Red Devils win the Founders Cup.

Mixed martial arts

The following is a list of major noteworthy MMA events during 2002 in chronological order.

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Motorsport

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Orienteering

First Mountain Bike Orienteering World Championships are held July 2–7 in Fontainebleau, France.

Radiosport

The fourth World Radiosport Team Championship held in Helsinki, Finland. Gold medals go to Jeff Steinman N5TJ and Dan Street K1TO of the United States, the team's third victory in a row.
Eleventh Amateur Radio Direction Finding World Championship held in Tatranske Matliare, Slovakia.

Rugby league

Rugby union

108th Six Nations Championship series is won by France who complete the Grand Slam
Tri Nations – New Zealand
Heineken Cup – Leicester Tigers 15–9 Munster

Ski mountaineering

Inaugural World Championship of Skimountaineering sanctioned by the International Council for Ski Mountaineering Competitions (ICSM) was held in Serre Chevalier in France from January 24 to January 27.

Snooker

World Snooker Championship – Peter Ebdon beats Stephen Hendry 18–17
World rankings – Ronnie O'Sullivan becomes world number one for 2002–03

Swimming

26 January – in Berlin, Slovakian swimmer Martina Moravcová betters Jenny Thompson's world record in the women's 100m butterfly (short course) from 56:56 to 56:55
April – 6th World Short Course Championships held at Moscow
- United States wins the most medals (26) Australia the most gold medals (10)
July–August – 26th European LC Championships held at Berlin
- Germany wins the most medals (23) and the most gold medals (10)
August – 9th Pan Pacific Championships held at Yokohama
- United States wins the most medals (52) and the most gold medals (21)
22 November – US swimmer Natalie Coughlin betters Martina Moravcová's world record in the women's 100m butterfly (short course) from 56:55 to 56:39
December – 6th European SC Championships held at Riesa, Germany
- Germany wins the most medals (22) and the most gold medals (7)

Tennis

Volleyball

2002 FIVB Men's World Championship: Brazil
2002 FIVB Women's World Championship: Italy
2002 Men's World League: Russia
2002 Women's World Grand Prix: Russia
Men's volleyball at the 2002 Asian Games: South Korea
Women's volleyball at the 2002 Asian Games: China

Water polo

2002 FINA Men's Water Polo World Cup: Russia
2002 FINA Men's Water Polo World League: Russia
2002 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup: Hungary

Winter Olympics

2002 Winter Olympics takes place in Salt Lake City, United States
- Norway wins the most medals (25) and the most gold medals (13)
- Top performers include Janica Kostelić, Ole Einar Bjørndalen and Simon Ammann
- A scandal in figure skating dominates the news.
- Also on the short track, Steven Bradbury of Australia becomes the first Winter Olympic gold medalist from the Southern Hemisphere when a crash on the final corner of the men's 1000 m final leaves him the "last man standing".