BEIJING, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- As the sporting year draws to a close, here is Xinhua News Agency's selection of the world's top 10 athletes in 2022:
1. Gu Ailing (China, freestyle skiing)
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File photo taken on Feb. 8, 2022 shows Gu Ailing of China reacts during flower ceremony after women's freeski big air final at Big Air Shougang in Beijing, capital of China. Gu claimed gold medals in the women's big air and halfpipe and a silver in slopestyle at the Beijing Winter Olympics, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals in three different events at a single Winter Olympics. (Xinhua/Ding Xu)
Gu claimed gold medals in the women's big air and halfpipe and a silver in slopestyle at the Beijing Winter Olympics, becoming the first freestyle skier to win three medals in three different events at a single Winter Olympics.
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina, football)
File photo taken on Dec. 18, 2022 shows Lionel Messi of Argentina kisses the World Cup Trophy during the awarding ceremony of the 2022 FIFA World Cup at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. Messi helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar after 36 years. With seven goals and three assists, Messi won the tournament's Golden Ball. He also became the most-capped player at the World Cup with 26 appearances. (Xinhua/Cao Can)
Messi helped Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar after 36 years. With seven goals and three assists, Messi won the tournament's Golden Ball. He also became the most-capped player at the World Cup with 26 appearances.
3. Irene Schouten (Netherlands, speed skating)
File photo taken on Feb. 19, 2022 shows Irene Schouten of the Netherlands celebrates after the speed skating women's mass start final of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, capital of China. Dutch skater Schouten claimed gold medals in the women's 3,000m, 5,000m and mass start events at the Beijing Winter Olympics and also took a bronze in the team pursuit with her teammates. In March, Schouten won the Allround title at the World Speed Skating Championships in Hamar, Norway. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)
Dutch skater Schouten claimed gold medals in the women's 3,000m, 5,000m and mass start events at the Beijing Winter Olympics and also took a bronze in the team pursuit with her teammates. In March, Schouten won the Allround title at the World Speed Skating Championships in Hamar, Norway.
4. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya, athletics)
File photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya celebrates after the Berlin Marathon 2022 in Berlin, Germany. 38-year-old Kipchoge claimed the 48th Berlin Marathon title with a new world record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds, breaking his own record from 2018 by 30 seconds. (Xinhua/Ren Pengfei)
38-year-old Kipchoge claimed the 48th Berlin Marathon title with a new world record of two hours, one minute and nine seconds, breaking his own record from 2018 by 30 seconds.
5. Armand Duplantis (Sweden, athletics)
File photo taken on July 24, 2022 shows Sweden's Armand Duplantis competes during the men's pole vault final at the World Athletics Championships Oregon22 in Eugene, Oregon, the United States. Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record three times in the 2022 season, winning 18 of the 19 competitions he competed in and clearing six meters 23 times. He refreshed the world record with 6.21 meters at the World Athletics Championships in July. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
Duplantis broke the men's pole vault world record three times in the 2022 season, winning 18 of the 19 competitions he competed in and clearing six meters 23 times. He refreshed the world record with 6.21 meters at the World Athletics Championships in July.
6. Karim Benzema (France, football)
File photo taken on Oct. 17, 2022 shows Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema reacts after receiving the men's Ballon d'Or Trophy during the 2022 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France. Benzema claimed the 2022 Ballon d'Or after a dazzling season with Real Madrid, which saw the Spanish giants win both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He also became the top scorer in both domestic and continental tournaments. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Benzema claimed the 2022 Ballon d'Or after a dazzling season with Real Madrid, which saw the Spanish giants win both La Liga and the UEFA Champions League. He also became the top scorer in both domestic and continental tournaments.
7. Rafael Nadal (Spain, tennis)
File photo taken on June 5, 2022 shows Rafael Nadal of Spain holds his trophy during the awarding ceremony after the men's singles final match between Rafael Nadal of Spain and Casper Ruud of Norway at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France. Nadal won his 14th French Open title, making him the first player in the Open era to win 22 Grand Slam men's titles. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Nadal won his 14th French Open title, making him the first player in the Open era to win 22 Grand Slam men's titles.
8. Katie Ledecky (United States, swimming)
File photo taken on June 24, 2022 shows Katie Ledecky of the United States reacts after the women's 800m freestyle final at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. Ledecky won the women's 800m freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, to take the fifth consecutive title in the event. In this tournament, the 25-year-old clinched four gold medals to take her world championships gold medal tally to 19. Ledecky also broke the women's short-course world record in the 1,500m and 800m freestyle at the FINA World Cup. (Xinhua/Li Ying)
Ledecky won the women's 800m freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Budapest, to take the fifth consecutive title in the event. In this tournament, the 25-year-old clinched four gold medals to take her world championships gold medal tally to 19. Ledecky also broke the women's short-course world record in the 1,500m and 800m freestyle at the FINA World Cup.
9. Iga Swiatek (Poland, tennis)
File photo taken on June 5, 2022 shows Iga Swiatek of Poland poses with the trophy after winning the women's singles champion of the French Open tennis tournament at the Bir-Hakeim bridge in Paris, France. Swiatek won eight titles including the French Open and US Open in 2022 and set the record for the longest 37 winning streak in women's tennis in the 21st century. The 21-year-old finished the season as No.1 in the WTA year-end singles rankings. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
Swiatek won eight titles including the French Open and US Open in 2022 and set the record for the longest 37 winning streak in women's tennis in the 21st century. The 21-year-old finished the season as No.1 in the WTA year-end singles rankings.
10. Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Formula One)
File photo taken on Oct. 9, 2022 shows Red Bull Racing's Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates for claiming the champion during the race of the Formula One Japan Grand Prix held at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka City, Japan. Red Bull's Verstappen won the F1 Japanese Grand Prix to seal the 2022 F1 Drivers' World Championship title ahead of schedule. He then took a record 14th win in a single Formula 1 season with victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix, surpassing Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel's joint record of 13. With his win in the Abu Dhabi finale, Verstappen's single-season winning record was finally set at 15. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)
Red Bull's Verstappen won the F1 Japanese Grand Prix to seal the 2022 F1 Drivers' World Championship title ahead of schedule. He then took a record 14th win in a single Formula 1 season with victory in the Mexico City Grand Prix, surpassing Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel's joint record of 13. With his win in the Abu Dhabi finale, Verstappen's single-season winning record was finally set at 15. ■
