2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.
Alpine skiing Alpine Skiing World Cup Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia
American football Super Bowl XXXVII – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFC) won 48–21 over the Oakland Raiders (AFC) Location: San Diego Stadium Attendance: 67,603 MVP: Dexter Jackson, S (Tampa Bay) Fiesta Bowl (2002 season): The Ohio State Buckeyes won 31-24 over the Miami Hurricanes (double overtime) to win BCS National Championship September 14 – Jamal Lewis sets NFL single game record for rushing yards (295) helping Baltimore Ravens beat Cleveland Browns 33-13.
Artistic gymnastics World Artistic Gymnastics Championships – Men's all-around champions: Paul Hamm, US, Yang Wei, China Women's all-around champion: Svetlana Khorkina, Russia Men's team competition champion: China Women's team competition champion: US
Association football
2003 Confederations Cup – host nation France wins a tournament marred by tragedy after Cameroon player Marc-Vivien Foé collapsed and died during a semifinal match. UEFA Champions League – AC Milan wins 3-2 on penalties over Juventus, after a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford. This was AC Milan’s 6th European Cup. UEFA Cup – FC Porto wins 3-2 in the final against Celtic, after extra time, with a silver goal by Derlei. This is Porto’s first UEFA Cup title. European Super Cup – AC Milan beats FC Porto 1-0, winning the cup for the fourth time. Intercontinental Cup – Boca Juniors win 3-1 on penalties over AC Milan, after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra time. This is Boca Juniors’ third cup. Women's World Cup – Germany wins the final against Sweden 2-1 after extra time.
Athletics
23–31 August – 2003 World Championships in Athletics held in Paris
Australian rules football Australian Football League The Brisbane Lions win the 107th AFL premiership by defeating Collingwood 20.14 (134) to 12.12 (84) in the 2003 AFL Grand Final. The Lions’ win gives them the first premiership “hat-trick” since in 1955, 1956 and 1957. Brownlow Medal awarded to Nathan Buckley (Collingwood), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans) and Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide Crows) Leigh Matthews Trophy awarded to Michael Voss (Brisbane Lions) West Australian Football League: August 10: On a rainswept Arena Joondalup, East Perth score only 0.9 (9) against deadly rivals West Perth. It is the first goalless score in WAFL/WANFL/Westar Rules football since West Perth themselves kicked 0.10 (10) against soon-to-be-defunct Midland Junction in May 1916.See AFL: Round 19, 2003
Baseball
April 4 – Sammy Sosa hits his 500th career home run off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Scott Sullivan in the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park, becoming only the eighteenth player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 or more home runs, as well as the first Hispanic to do so. May 5 – Matt Stairs’ home run off Houston Astros pitcher Wade Miller was estimated at 461 feet, making it the longest home run in the history of Minute Maid Park. May 11 – Rafael Palmeiro hit his 500th career home run off Cleveland Indians pitcher David Elder becoming only the 19th player in Major League Baseball history to hit 500 or more home runs. June 11 – Houston Astro pitcher Roy Oswalt started a no-hitter against the New York Yankees on June 11. Oswalt left after one inning, and five more Astros continued to no-hit the Yankees. Peter Munro pitched 2? innings, Kirk Saarloos pitched 1? innings, Brad Lidge pitched two innings, Octavio Dotel pitched one inning in which he recorded four strikeouts and Billy Wagner pitched a perfect ninth to close out a six-pitcher no-hitter that resulted in 13 strikeouts and an 8-0 victory over the Yankees. June 13 – New York Yankee Roger Clemens becomes the 21st pitcher in history to win 300 games and only the 3rd pitcher to record 4,000 career strikeouts as he defeats the St. Louis Cardinals 5-2. July 29 – Bill Mueller becomes the only player in major league history to hit two grand slams in a single game from opposite sides of the plate. He in fact hit three home runs in that game, and the two grand slams were in consecutive at-bats. 2003 World Series – The Florida Marlins win 4 games to 2 over the New York Yankees.
Basketball
NBA Finals – The San Antonio Spurs win their second NBA title, defeating the New Jersey Nets 4 games to 2. Tim Duncan, who nearly scores a quadruple-double in the deciding Game 6, is named Finals MVP. NCAA Men's Basketball Championship – Syracuse Orange win 81-78 over the Kansas Jayhawks December 13 – The largest crowd in the sport's history, 78,129, packed Ford Field in Detroit to watch Michigan State and Kentucky. Kentucky wins 79-74.* NCAA Women's Basketball Championship – UConn Huskies win 73-68 over the Tennessee Lady Vols WNBA Finals – Detroit Shock win 2 games to 1 over the Los Angeles Sparks, winning the franchise's first title, and marking the first time an Eastern conference team is WNBA world champions. Chinese Basketball Association finals: Bayi Rockets defeat Guangdong Southern Tigers, 3 games to 1. National Basketball League (Australia) Finals: Sydney Kings defeated the Perth Wildcats 2-0 in best-of-three final series.
Boxing May 9 to May 18 – African Amateur Boxing Championships held in Yaoundé, Cameroon July 6 to July 13 – World Amateur Boxing Championships held in Bangkok August 8 to August 15 – Pan American Games held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic September 13 – Shane Mosley conquers the WBA and WBC world Jr. Middleweight titles with a 12-round unanimous decision over Oscar De La Hoya in rematch of their 2000 bout October 4 to October 13 – All-Africa Games held in Abuja, Nigeria
Canadian football February 27 – Darren Flutie retires November 16 – the Edmonton Eskimos win the 91st Grey Cup game, defeating the Montreal Alouettes 34–22 at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. November 22 – Université Laval win the Vanier Cup, defeating St. Mary's University 14–7.
Cricket The Ashes – Australia defeats England 4-1 May – West Indies defeats Australia by scoring a world record 418 runs in the fourth innings 2003 Cricket World Cup – Australia defeats India in the final by 125 runs Domestic competitions County Championship (England and Wales) – Sussex CCC Sheffield Shield (Australia) – New South Wales First Twenty20 Cup series held in England and won by Surrey CCC
Curling 2003 Ford World Curling Championship Women's Final: (April 12) United States (Debbie McCormick) 5-3 Canada (Colleen Jones) Men's Final: (April 13) Canada (Randy Ferbey) 10-6 Switzerland (Ralph Stöckli)
Cycle racing Road bicycle racing Giro d'Italia won by Gilberto Simoni of Italy Tour de France – Lance Armstrong (Rescinded) 2003 UCI Road World Championships – Men's road race – Igor Astarloa of Spain Cyclo-cross UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships men's competition won by Bart Wellens women's competition won by Daphny van den Brand
Dogsled racing Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion Robert Sørlie wins will lead dog: Tipp
Field hockey Men's Champions Trophy: Netherlands Women's Champions Trophy: Australia
Figure skating World Figure Skating Championships – Men's champion: Evgeni Plushenko, Russia Ladies’ champion: Michelle Kwan, United States Pair skating champions: Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, China Ice dancing champions: Shae-Lynn Bourne and Victor Kraatz, Canada
Floorball Women's World Floorball Championships Champion: Sweden Men's under-19 World Floorball Championships Champion: Finland European Cup Men's champion: Haninge IBK Women's champion: Balrog IK
Gaelic Athletic Association Camogie All-Ireland Camogie Champion: Tipperary National Camogie League: Cork Gaelic football All-Ireland Senior Football Championship – Tyrone 0-12 defeated Armagh 0-9 National Football League – Tyrone 0-21 defeated Laois 1-8 Ladies' Gaelic football All-Ireland Senior Football Champion: Mayo National Football League: Laois Hurling All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship – Kilkenny 1-14 died Cork 1-11 National Hurling League – Kilkenny 5–14 beat Tipperary 5–13
Gliding World Gliding Championships, Leszno, Poland Open Class Winner: Holger Karow, Germany; Glider: Schempp-Hirth Nimbus-4 18-metre Class Winner: Wolfgang Janowitsch, Austria; Glider: Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2 15-metre Class Winner: John Coutts, New Zealand; Glider: Alexander Schleicher ASW 27 Standard Class Winner: Andrew Davis, UK; Glider: Schempp-Hirth Discus 2 World Gliding Championships, Nitra, Slovakia World Class Winner: Sebastian Kawa, Poland; Glider: PZL PW-5
Golf Men's professional Major championship results: Masters Tournament – Mike Weir becomes the first Canadian and the first left-handed golfer to win The Masters. He defeats Len Mattiace on the first playoff hole. U.S. Open – Jim Furyk. Tournament takes place at Olympia Fields, and Furyk wins his first major by 3 shots. British Open – Ben Curtis, an outsider, wins by a single shot from Thomas Björn and Vijay Singh at Royal St. George's. PGA Championship – Shaun Micheel, another outside, wins by 2 shots at Oak Hill Country Club. Men's amateur British Amateur – Gary Wolstenholme U.S. Amateur – Nick Flanagan European Amateur – Brian McElhinney Women's professional Major results: Kraft Nabisco Championship – Patricia Meunier-Lebouc U.S. Women's Open – Hilary Lunke wins an 18-hole playoff over Angela Stanford and Kelly Robbins. LPGA Championship – Annika Sörenstam Women's British Open – Annika Sörenstam September 12–14 – 2003 Solheim Cup – Team Europe win back the cup from Team United States 17½ to 10½ points.
Handball 2003 World Men's Handball Championship played in Portugal Gold medal: Croatia Silver medal: Germany Bronze medal: France
Harness racing North America Cup – Yankee Cruiser United States Pacing Triple Crown races – Cane Pace – No Pan Intended Little Brown Jug – No Pan Intended Messenger Stakes – No Pan Intended United States Trotting Triple Crown races – Hambletonian – Amigo Hall Yonkers Trot – Sugar Trader Kentucky Futurity – Mr. Muscleman Australian Inter Dominion Harness Racing Championship – Pacers: Baltic Eagle Trotters: Take A Moment
Horse racing Steeplechases Cheltenham Gold Cup – Best Mate Grand National – Monty's Pass Hurdle races Champion Hurdle – Rooster Booster Flat races Australia – Melbourne Cup won by Makybe Diva Canadian Triple Crown Races: Queen's Plate won by Wando Prince of Wales Stakes won by Wando Breeders' Stakes won by Wando Wando becomes the seventh horse to win the Canadian Triple Crown. Dubai – Dubai World Cup won by Moon Ballad France – Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe won by Dalakhani Ireland – Irish Derby Stakes won by Alamshar Japan – Japan Cup won by Tap Dance City English Triple Crown Races: 2,000 Guineas Stakes – Refuse To Bend The Derby – Kris Kin St. Leger Stakes – Brian Boru United States Triple Crown Races: Kentucky Derby won by Funny Cide Preakness Stakes won by Funny Cide Belmont Stakes won by Empire Maker Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships: Breeders' Cup Classic – Pleasantly Perfect Breeders’ Cup Distaff – Adoration Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – Islington Breeders' Cup Juvenile – Action This Day Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies – Halfbridled Breeders' Cup Mile – Six Perfections Breeders' Cup Sprint – Cajun Beat Breeders' Cup Turf – High Chaparral and Johar dead-heated
Ice hockey Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer during the regular season: Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche. Hart Memorial Trophy for the NHL’s Most Valuable Player: Peter Forsberg, Colorado Avalanche. Stanley Cup – New Jersey Devils win 4 games to 3 over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs MVP is won by Jean-Sébastien Giguère of Anaheim. World Hockey Championship Men’s champion: Canada defeats Sweden 3-2. Junior Men’s champion: Russia win 3-2 over Canada.