What A Year for Sports in London

:London Knights sniper Seth Griffith in action at the 2012 Memorial Cup in Shawinigan

With a new year comes new opportunities for London's sports teams to shine and dominate the sporting world in Ontario, Canada and the world. Last year, London's athletes put on some outstanding performances, and their achievements were recognized and praised by Londoners and sports fans across the country.

Let's start with everyone's favourite team, the London Knights. They won the OHL championship for the second time, beating the Niagara IceDogs on home ice in game five, driving the city into a frenzy. Austin Watson was a marvelled acquisition; he showed his worth in the playoffs as the Knights headed to Shawinigan for the Memorial Cup. Sadly, they lost in the finals to the Shawinigan Cataractes 2-1 in overtime.

This season, the Knights have taken the OHL by storm. Although the team started off slow, their loss to Windsor on November 1 would be their last for almost two months. The boys won 24 consecutive games, beating their own franchise record and falling just one win short of tying the Canadian Hockey League record. The Knights are sure to be tough competitors as their exciting season continues and the run for the Memorial Cup begins once again.

The London Nationals also had a great season, claiming the Western Conference championship in the 2012 Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. While they went on to finish third in the Sutherland Cup, Kelly Thomson's team helped put London sports on the map.

London's new basketball team made a name for themselves across Canada. In their inaugural season, the London Lightning came out on top, as over 5,000 fans witnessed them defeat Halifax in game five to win the league title. London finished with a 33-10 record on the season, including 5-2 in the playoffs. Budweiser Gardens could be home to two defending champions for the 2012/13 season.

The Lightning made numerous changes to their roster in the off season, coming back even stronger than last season. The Lightning won their opener, beating Halifax once again. The team continued to be successful throughout 2012. No team came close as the Lightning opened the season with 11 consecutive wins, breaking the league record.

Soccer might not be the prime choice for London sports fans, but that doesn't mean the sport doesn't do well in the city. FC London was crowned winners of the 2012 Premier Development League season, beating the Carolina Dynamo 2-1 in the championship finals in North Carolina. While the victory might not have sent every sports fan in the city into a frenzy, London's soccer fans were ecstatic that from a league of 73 teams, spread across the U.S.A., Canada and Bermuda, their local team came out on top.

One of London's women's soccer teams also made headlines. North London Galaxy was crowned as the best women's team in the country when they beat Surrey United to lift the 2012 Jubilee Cup. This victory is their first national title after four Ontario titles in six years.

The 2012 Olympic Games gave Londoners a chance to show their talents to the world. London native Damian Warner catapulted to Canadian fame after his mesmerising performance in the decathlon, where he finished fifth. He didn't win a medal, but instead he set six personal bests in 10 events. The 22-year-old also put up the second best point total (8,442) in Canadian history. Heptathlete Jessica Zelinka and swimmer Joe Bartoch had memorable performances in the Olympics as well. Zelinka placed seventh in the heptathlon while Bartoch and his teammates finished eighth at the 4x100-metre medley relay.

London and Londoners can be proud; they live in a city that is home to champions. From individual accolades to team championships and success at the provincial and national levels, and even at the Olympics, 2012 had it all.

Originally Written for the Interrobang: http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.php?storyID=9173&sectionID=4&issueID=219
Image Credit: http://chl.uploads.mrx.ca/memorial/images/en/gallery/2012/05/MMC12_0519_DSC_77192909.JPG